Dr. Mark Mitchell, a public health and environmental health physician and founder of the Connecticut Environmental Justice Leadership Collaborative, stated:
“Climate change negatively affects the health of all people, but some people are more affected. In Connecticut, so-called “natural” gas-fueled power plants, which trigger asthma attacks in people who have asthma, are more likely to be located in communities that already have disproportionately higher rates of asthma.  We need to build more rooftop and community solar that is accessible to low-wealth communities and communities with high asthma rates, so that we can close these power plants and reduce the cost of electricity.”

​State Senator Saud Anwar, a physician and Chair of the Public Health Committee, emphasized the critical importance of emissions reduction:
“The more polluted our air, the harder it becomes to breathe, but that’s the tip of the iceberg. Asthma, COPD and other respiratory illnesses can be made worse by exposure to polluted air; the strain it places on the human body can lead to deadly consequences. Add in that pollution worsens our air quality every day and has recently gotten much worse during both heat waves and cold snaps - and our power plants burned oil this winter when natural gas supplies were low - and the picture becomes more dire. We need to find ways to increase renewable energy to support our grid and change this landscape. Countless residents, and their health, are counting on us.”

Ellie Smith, a medical student, highlighted the importance of preparing the next generation of clinicians to address climate-related health challenges:
“Every effort made to educate tomorrow’s doctors on the harmful effects of pollutants and extreme weather on our population’s health is an investment into producing informed advocates for the most vulnerable members of our society in the clinic and beyond.” 
Medical professionals across disciplines remain deeply concerned about the accelerating health impacts of climate change and the need to both mitigate risks and adapt healthcare systems for a warming world.

​Stefan Marzcuk, medical student and Chair of CHPCA, concluded with a message of hope and action:
“Climate change is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, but it is also an opportunity to build a healthier, more resilient future for our state. Expanded renewable energy infrastructure means cleaner air for our communities, and the solutions Connecticut chooses today can deliver immediate and lasting benefits to our patients.”
CHPCA remains committed to working collaboratively with policymakers, healthcare systems, and communities to advance evidence-based solutions that protect both planetary and human health.

Media Contact:
Mark Mitchell, MD
mmitch3@gmu.edu
(860) 794-9497

Connecticut
​NET ZERO BY 2050
An omnibus climate law strengthened Connecticut’s emissions reductions goals and set a net-zero by 2050 target economy-wide. It also created a Clean Economy Council to develop strategies that will help the state meet emissions reduction goals, and the law offers a variety of incentives and programs promoting solar, energy-efficiency, heat pumps, and green jobs.

ELECTRICITY GRID MODERNIZATION
Connecticut enacted comprehensive energy affordability legislation that will cut energy costs for ratepayers, improve the electrical grid, and continue clean energy investments.

CLIMATE RESILIENCY 
Connecticut passed a law that will proactively address climate change impacts and promote nature-based solutions, including helping municipalities prepare for sea level rise and natural disasters.

CLIMATE-RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT 
Lawmakers approved a new State Plan of Conservation and Development that prioritizes climate change in development decisions over the next five years. In addition, the Connecticut Legislature made updates to the State Water Plan to account for climate change impacts in long-term planning. 

After two legislative sessions with little climate progress, Connecticut’s net-zero by 2050 goal was years in the making. Connecticut LCV (CTLCV) was at the forefront of crafting the omnibus legislation in 2023 and 2024, and they coordinated multi-year advocacy efforts with partners across the state as a member of the steering committee of the Connecticut Coalition For Climate Action. CTLCV helped organize multiple lobby days with hundreds of attendees and a climate march with over 200 participants, hosted a series of Action Hour events to engage and mobilize supporters, and drove over 2,300 constituent messages to decision makers in support of the legislation. 

CTLCV worked especially closely with freshmen legislators to educate them on environmental issues and help them feel empowered to champion environmental policy at the State House. At their annual Environmental Summit, CTLCV brought together state decision makers and hundreds of supporters to help set the environmental priorities for the legislative session, including the net-zero by 2050 goal.

In addition, CTLCV consistently elevated the net-zero goal to lawmakers and the public, and maintained visibility through hosting press conferences with partners, placing op-eds, running extensive digital ad campaigns, and taking out print ads in prominent newspapers.

“As Co-Chair of the joint Energy & Technology Committee, I depend on Connecticut LCV as a partner to help me frame the environmental imperatives for my colleagues and the public. They are instrumental in informing our legislative priorities every session.”
Representative Jonathan Steinberg, Co-Chair, Energy & Technology Committee, Connecticut General Assembly ​