Dr. Courtney Howard, MD

Healthy Planet, Healthy People

Humans need a lot of love right now. I’m running because I think this moment —right now— is the point at which more change is possible than at any other time I’ve been alive, and I believe that a focus on health will help us chart a course to safety. We’ve been disrupted. We’re scared.

July 25, 2020
News

Ecological grief and anxiety: the start of a healthy response to climate change?

The next 10 years are a crucial decade for the world. Ecological grief and anxiety over current losses or anticipated future change are a sign of relationship with, or connection to, the natural world. What is needed are accessible and safe spaces to explore these difficult emotional reactions and the political will to ensure that important strategies and supports are funded.

July 4, 2020
Policy Work

CAPE: Healthy Recovery Plan For a Safe and Sustainable Future

Recently, organizations representing 40 million healthcare workers worldwide — two-thirds
of the global workforce — supported an open letter addressed to G20 leaders, calling upon
them to create a green and healthy recovery in order to support people through COVID-19
and its economic fallout, and prevent further crises related to climate change and planetary
decline.
This report represents a Made-in-Canada set of recommendations based on this call to action.

July 1, 2020
Campaign

Announcement from Dr. Courtney Howard

Big day today — feels like a bit of a life turning point. Got up this morning and announced that I’m running to be the next leader of the Green Party of Canada.

June 11, 2020
La Presse

Dans les médias: “Faire le choix de la santé”

LA PRESSE “Dans les dernières semaines, nous avons souligné, célébré, et reconnu le travail exceptionnel des travailleurs de la santé de première ligne. D’un océan à l’autre, et à travers le monde, nous avons chanté, allumé nos lumières, frappé sur nos casseroles et dansé de la maison pour souligner les efforts et le courage de nos voisins et amis qui sont partis œuvrer dans nos centres de santé et qui ont maintenu nos services essentiels, jour comme nuit.”

May 27, 2020
La Presse

Dans les médias: “Faire le choix de la santé”

LA PRESSE “Dans les dernières semaines, nous avons souligné, célébré, et reconnu le travail exceptionnel des travailleurs de la santé de première ligne. D’un océan à l’autre, et à travers le monde, nous avons chanté, allumé nos lumières, frappé sur nos casseroles et dansé de la maison pour souligner les efforts et le courage de nos voisins et amis qui sont partis œuvrer dans nos centres de santé et qui ont maintenu nos services essentiels, jour comme nuit.”

May 27, 2020

Dans les médias : « La crise du COVID-19 est un point de basculement. Allons-nous investir dans la santé planétaire, ou le pétrole et le gaz?

« Lorsque j’ai lu pour la première fois sur la possibilité d’un renflouement de plusieurs milliards de dollars du secteur pétrolier et gazier par les gouvernements fédéral et albertain, j’étais épuisé.

J’étais épuisé par des journées de travail aux urgences, des exercices d’équipement de protection individuelle, un comptage obsessionnel des ventilateurs et la façon d’encourager les Canadiens à avoir des conversations courageuses autour des soins de fin de vie. J’étais trop épuisé pour même penser à répondre.

March 24, 2020
Print

Scary Mommy : “Climate Change Is Making Our Kids Sick–But We Can Do Something About It”

“Dr. Courtney Howard, a physician, professor, and the president of the Canadian Association of the Environment, told Scary Mommy that a range of climate change factors are impacting our children, including wildfires and tick-borne diseases. These have both made the news many times over the past several years, including wildfires in California and the scary truths about living with Lyme disease.”

March 23, 2020
Print

18 Questions with Courtney Howard

“This month we are featuring in our eco-maven section an inspiring and fearless ER doctor from Canada, Dr. Courtney Howard, who is not only at the frontline attending patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and took the time to answer our questions, but she has also found time in her life to advocate for planetary health, and even lead the Lancet Countdown report – in the Canadian Policy brief- with recommendations for a healthy response to climate change. “

March 18, 2020
Print

THE HILL : “Climate change and the toll it takes on our mental health”

“There’s a moment when the diagnosis of climate change and what it means for health really lands. For me, it happened in 2012 as I read an article that made clear that we need to leave the vast majority of economic fossil fuel reserves in the ground or risk an unlivable world within the lifetime of today’s children. I finished the article curled up in the fetal position around my eight-month-old daughter. For months afterwards my first thought upon awakening was of how her prospects for the future had changed. I had trouble concentrating, and every new data point in terms of temperature predictions was a punch to the gut.”

February 12, 2020
Audio

Ecological grief

“Gaia Vince explores the growing impact of ecological grief, and how climate change is affecting people’s mental health.”

January 26, 2020
Print

EM OTTAWA : “System Change is Needed to Combat Climate Change”

“Increasing awareness of the urgency of climate change, led by the youth climate movement, and growing felt impacts of the health effects of climate change, including the devastating bushfires in Australia, are fuelling a global increase in interest in the concepts of “eco-anxiety” and “ecological grief.” How to cope with these emotions personally, and how to help our patients? “

January 23, 2020