The intersection of climate change with the era of COVID‐19

Zang, Sheryl M.; Benjenk, Ivy; Breakey, Suellen; Pusey‐Reid, Eleonor; Nicholas, Patrice K.

The purpose of this integrative review is to examine recent literature on the intersection of SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19 novel coronavirus) and climate change that will lead to a greater understanding of the complexities of the urgent pandemic linked with the emerging climate crisis. A literature search for peer‐reviewed, English language, literature published since the pandemic emerged was conducted using Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. The final sample yielded a total of 22 commentaries, editorials, discussion papers, and a research study that explicitly addressed the intersection of COVID‐19 and climate change. Sixty articles emerged in the initial review of the intersection of the COVID‐19 pandemic and climate change with the final yield of 22 articles deemed valid for inclusion after full text review. With the emergence of COVID‐19 and scholarly discourse that addresses the intersection of the pandemic with climate change, key issues emerged that intersect with policy /advocacy, social justice, and nursing's public health role in clinical practice, education, policy/advocacy, and research/scholarship. Five themes that emerged included the role of public health in COVID‐19 and climate change efforts; global approach addressing human‐environment issues; intersection of COVID‐19 and climate change from a community and global perspective; impacts of COVID‐19, climate change and the environment and professional associations and specialty organizations’ views and responsibilities with a lens on COVID‐19 and climate change. Despite the importance of addressing racial inequities as well as systemic and structural racism that impacts those most affected by climate change and pandemics such as COVID‐19, no literature addressed this topic. Public health nursing has a critical role in addressing climate change and the pandemic response to COVID 19 in the 21st century.