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The inextricable links between climate change and public health are everywhere. The climate crisis is a set of complex conditions that call for urgent action. A collective impact model offers opportunities to achieve new ways of thinking about multi-pronged climate solutions that benefit health outcomes. There lies an untapped potential to make a collective and lasting impact on climate change and equity health impact. There are five conditions that, when combined, can offer a recipe for collective success: (i) shared vision for social justice change; (ii) mutual trust and reliability through open communications between groups; (iii) coordinated activities across sectors and group types that strive to advance common goals; (iv) efforts to ensure consistent data collection and reporting on activities, as well as accountability; and (v) a separate entity designated to ensure the success of the collective. Ultimately, the process becomes the solution to future climate challenges.

Energy justice is a climate and health issue. Energy systems contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and negative health outcomes from energy extraction to consumption. Just as climate change disproportionately affects certain populations, energy also is a health equity issue. The U.S. energy sector faces a critical challenge of energy access and affordability that limits communities' ability to achieve good health. As alternative energies become cost-competitive, there is a need to monitor, evaluate, and support a transition to a healthier energy system. By pursuing energy justice as a priority, public health professionals can play a role in challenging health inequities, as well as mitigating the adverse health effects of climate change. Through a roundtable convening, public health leaders developed pathways for public health professionals to promote a just energy future. Considering public health upfront in energy system decision making may result in multidisciplinary thinking and solutions to improve health outcomes.

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