Climate Change & Child Well-being in Oregon: Issue Brief

Our Children Oregon is delighted to release our latest issue brief: Climate Change & Child Well-being in Oregon, prepared by OCO’s Reseach Fellow Shauna Rakshe, PhD, and Research Manager Jyoni Tetsurō Shuler.

Climate change is multiplying environmental hazards for Oregon’s children and their families across all regions of our state, and there is an urgent need for communities to build climate resilience and protect against environmental hazards and their downstream effects. This issue brief covers the impacts of the major elements of climate change – including extreme heat, water hazards, wildfires, and air quality – on child well-being, including their downstream effects on physical/mental health, environmental justice, and social resilience among diverse communities across Oregon. The brief incorporates quotes from key stakeholders, and concludes with concrete policy proposals to improve current and future circumstances for young Oregonians in the face of an uncertain climactic future.