Something Big that Matters: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s Commitment to Combat Climate Change

Abstract

Climate change is the most pressing global health issue of our time. Climate change has had and will have profound effects on human health, including the health issues most important to the members of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). As the leading global health society, the ASTMH is dedicated to combating climate change and improving planetary health. Attention to climate change is part of the ASTMH 2019–2022 strategic plan, and climate change and planetary health will be key components of future strategic plans. But, what about ASTMH’s contribution to climate change? In my presidential address in 2019, I focused on the importance of doing “something small that matters”: how the small everyday things we do can make a difference in global health. Working to combat climate change is a complementary task: “something big that matters.” Doing our society business and conducting our Annual Meeting in a year of no travel will teach us a lot. The ASTMH must build on those lessons to make concrete decisions that will reduce our carbon, waste, and water footprints. The coming years offer a unique opportunity to establish the ASTMH as a leader in improving the health of not only those people we serve but also the source that sustains us all, our planet.