Climate x Health Collaborative

SVYCA Climate & Health Collaborative is a youth-led initiative focused on the intersection of climate change and human health. We host monthly meetings to spotlight one changemaker advancing climate and health equity through science, advocacy, or innovation. By convening students, professionals, and community leaders, CHC fosters cross-sector dialogue and empowers the next generation to champion sustainable, health-centered solutions.

If you are interested in joining, fill out the for linked below.

Speakers at our 2025 Youth Climate Summit discussing topics situated at the intersection of climate and health.

Organization partners and collaborators

• Breathe California — air-quality and respiratory-health education, a co-hosted climate and health webinar, and clean-air advocacy.

• San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility (SF Bay PSR) — environmental-health advocacy, connections with healthcare professionals, Environmental Health Committee participation, and our climate and nutrition campaign

• Stanford Undergraduate Global Health Club — our February Mapathon and the upcoming November air-quality Mapathon.

• Cool Cities Coalition — the Sun Smart Toolkit, heat-safety resources, and collaboration on urban heat and climate health.

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s Society of Emerging Leaders (ACS CAN SEL) — collaboration on the Sun Smart Toolkit addressing sun protection, skin-cancer prevention, and climate-related heat exposure.

• Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) — our Food & the Environment Bulletin contribution and connections with environmental-health professionals.

• Urban Tilth — collaboration on our climate, nutrition, and food-systems awareness campaign. Connection from SF Bay PSR

• Health Futures Lab — current planning for a climate-anxiety workshop/Cognitive Café in November.

2025 Impact

• CHC hosted four speaker webinars featuring physicians and public health leaders, creating space for students to engage with climate and health issues. Built active partnerships with regional and academic organizations and grew a core group of about 20 founding members.

• Organizational Collaborations

• Established partnerships with Breathe California and SF Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, expanding youth access to public health advocacy pathways.

• Planned and hosted a public Climate × Health webinar with Breathe California, reaching 28 high schoolers. Webinar featured education on Bay Area Air Quality, health impacts, and proactive actions, while supporting youth engagement in environmental health awareness. 

• CHC initiatives

• Advocated for Bay Area Air Quality Compliance District Rules 9-4 and 9-6, which address emissions from refineries and industrial sources. 

• In the work of publishing a short reel to gather support for the upcoming May 6th Public Comment. Supported outreach and youth engagement for the “Make Polluters Pay” campaign in collaboration with Physicians for Social Responsibility, including community education and advocacy efforts

• Created climate-health infographics and content (from Stanford Mapathon), translating scientific and policy concepts into accessible formats

• Initiated a climate-nutrition and food systems awareness campaign in collaboration with healthcare professionals, exploring links between environmental change, food access, and health outcomesEngaged students in interdisciplinary climate and health work across local advocacy, education, and global health initiatives, helping expand SVYCA’s reach into public health-focused programming

• Current Initiatives

• In the works of publishing a Santa Clara Medical Association bulletin article, on Food & The Environment (September 4th, 2026).

• Hosting a Mapthon Event on Air pollution in the fall with Stanford Undergraduate Global Health Club.