While climate change poses existential risks to human health and welfare, the public health research community has been slow to embrace the topic. This isn't so much about a lack of interest as it is about the lack of dedicated funding to support research. An interesting contrast can be drawn with the field of air pollution and health, which has been an active and well-supported research area for almost fifty years. My own career journey started squarely in the latter setting in the 1980s, but transitioned to a major focus on climate and health starting around 2000. The journey has been punctuated with opportunities and obstacles, most of which still exist. In the meantime, a large body of evidence has grown on the health impacts of climate change, adding more urgency to the imperative for action. Institutionalization of climate and health within the federal regulatory and funding apparatus is now needed if we are to make the transition to zero carbon in ways that maximize health and equity benefits.

中文翻译：

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从空气污染到气候危机：离开舒适区

尽管气候变化对人类健康和福利构成了生存风险，但公共卫生研究界对此话题的反应缓慢。这与其说是缺乏兴趣，不如说是缺乏专门的资金来支持研究。与空气污染和健康领域形成了有趣的对比，该领域近五十年来一直是活跃且得到良好支持的研究领域。我自己的职业生涯始于1980年代的后期，但从2000年左右开始逐渐转向关注气候和健康。这一旅程充满了机遇和障碍，但大多数仍然存在。同时，关于气候变化对健康的影响的大量证据不断增多，这使采取行动的紧迫性更加迫切。