Integrating Public Health into Capital Planning for Climate Change: An Exploration of Public Health Measures and Their Use in Capital and Climate Planning

Abstract

Climate change’s adverse impacts, including increasing heat, flooding risks, and wildfires, pose growing threats to human health, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and communities. With the majority of the global population residing in urban areas, cities play a central role in emissions reduction and climate adaptation efforts. Therefore, local government-led infrastructure projects provide opportunities to support these efforts. Despite known co-benefits, incorporating health and climate information into infrastructure decision-making processes is not yet common practice. This study aims to 1) review approaches for identifying and selecting measures of vulnerability, 2) explore the availability of measures and tools for infrastructure decision-making, and 3) examine how data and assessments are used in practice. Information was collected through a multi-method approach, including a comparative analysis of eight national and state spatial health or vulnerability data tools and interviews with local government and utility department staff. The findings reveal that despite limited consensus in the literature, there is agreement among tools and interviewees on common measurement categories, although variations persist in the use of specific measures. In practice, implementation of these measures is limited due to barriers such as resource constraints, complex processes, and competing priorities. However, this research confirms the opportunity and impact of vulnerability assessment in infrastructure planning, particularly in addressing social equity and health in the context of climate change. It highlights the need for further implementation-focused support and research to bolster its use in planning practice.