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The Threat That Climate Change Poses to Women’s Health Is Real
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The Threat That Climate Change Poses to Women’s Health Is Real

Osub Ahmed explains how climate change poses a unique threat to women's health—especially for women of color.

It isn’t hard to take stock of the damage climate change has already inflicted.

Widespread flooding in the Midwestern United States; the hottest March on record in Alaska; tornadoes and other extreme weather across the Deep South. According to leading environmental advocacy groups, about one-third of U.S. counties (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) are at risk of experiencing water shortages by 2050, and multiple states are expected to face more frequent floods and severe droughts.

As we celebrate Earth Day, we should take a moment and consider what our planet is trying to tell us: Extreme weather events and natural disasters are becoming the norm. But less discussed is the impact of climate change on certain communities, particularly women and people of color. The intersection of climate change, women’s health and safety, and current federal and state restrictions on reproductive rights is a perfect storm that will put the lives and well-being of women, disproportionately women of color, at risk.

The above excerpt was originally published in Rewire.News. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Osub Ahmed

Former Associate Director, Women\'s Health and Rights