A new climate and health report by the Commonwealth Fund places Louisiana at No. 49 overall in climate, health and healthcare, second from the bottom nationally. The study evaluated each state based on its air quality index, potential health impacts and community vulnerability to natural hazards. 

Across indicators, Louisiana’s vulnerability to flooding, high risk from extreme heat and storms, low energy efficiency and relatively high carbon emissions drove its low score. Heat and hurricane exposure remain structural headwinds due to Louisiana’s location on the Gulf Coast.

Additionally, post-Hurricane Katrina infrastructure losses still echo in the health system: The closure of New Orleans’ Charity Hospital after severe flood damage eliminated a key safety net for a decade, with replacement capacity arriving only in 2015. That disruption strained access, staffing and resilience in the years that followed.

Some factors from New Orleans may have contributed to Louisiana’s low score. The industrial bridge from Baton Rouge to the New Orleans metro, colloquially known as Cancer Alley, is responsible for a significant share of the state’s pollution burden. A 2022 Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium analysis found that this narrow stretch produced a large portion of Louisiana’s emissions for decades.

Human Rights Watch and the United Nations Special Rapporteur have described the corridor as a “sacrifice zone,” citing elevated exposure to toxic emissions and attendant health risks for nearby communities. Monitoring gaps pose a significant challenge for accurately estimating industrial pollution; most regulatory air monitors sit at either end of Cancer Alley, leaving blind spots for criteria pollutants. 

New Orleans did show some progress, with the metro area earning an “A” grade for short-term particle pollution for the tenth straight year, according to a release by the American Lung Association. While air quality has improved, the ozone remains a concern. 

Tulane University and city partners have leaned into climate and public-health solutions. Passed unanimously in 2015, the New Orleans Smoke-Free Ordinance reduced secondhand smoke exposure in bars, casinos and other venues, a meaningful health win for service workers and visitors.

Tulane has also updated its Climate Action Plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through expanded sustainability tracking and the introduction of electric campus shuttles to cut fleet emissions. Additionally, the Tulane Future of Energy Forum, hosted yearly on Tulane’s campus, convenes industry, government and academia with the stated goal of accelerating decarbonization and resilience across Louisiana’s economy.