Introduction
Climate change is one of the great issues facing our age, it has a dual impact on human health just as much as in terms of environmental changes. Global shifts in weather patterns, warmer temperatures and more frequent extreme weather have many implications for our health. It is important to know what the impacts on health of climate change are in order to develop appropriate strategies to reduce these risks and safeguard our more vulnerable populations.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is the long-term, human-caused alteration of average temperatures and weather patterns.For example, deforestation releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as do industrial processes like cement production or coal burning. These generate high amounts of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) in the atmosphere also retaining heat and finally increasing global temperatures. This creates a cascade of environmental destruction, including the melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels that we are already seeing as well as more frequent and severe weather events like hurricanes, floods or droughts.
To read more on this topic, see our article detailing what global warming is.
Primary climate change impacts on health
A. Heat-Related Illnesses
This is due to the fact that as global temperatures rise, heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense. Excessive heat exposure can cause you to suffer from heat exhaustion, and the most severe case is dehydration. it might even trigger a risk of death due to sunstroke. Those with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly and children are particularly vulnerable.According to these experts, “the thousands of deaths that have occurred in Europe and North America are certainly not the last to be expected as a result of heatwaves” so there is an urgent need for public health interventions targeted at populations vulnerable to extreme high temperatures.
Here is another piece we have written preventing heatstroke
Read the original article hereThe WHO’s page on climate change and health More about Health, Climate crisis, global heating.
B. Respiratory Issues
Air pollution also worsens with climate change and air pollutants have directly harmful effects on respiratory health. Ground-level ozone, the main ingredient in smog that exacerbates asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can be more difficult to breathe when temperatures are higher. Wildfires, in particular, are causing the release of enormous quantities of particulate matter (PM), pollution that enters your lungs and bloodstreams after you breathe it. Studies have linked poor air quality to higher rates of hospital admissions for respiratory problems, especially in children and the elderly.
Learn more about the effects of air pollution on health.
To learn more, visit the CDC’s Climate and Health Air Pollution page.
C. Cardiovascular Problems
The food supply in the US would be disrupted by a sharp decline or rise of 40%, and extreme heat waves and cold snaps, which are connected to increases in mortality from cardiovascular causes. Heat stress, due to high temperatures, can trigger heart attacks and strokes. This is particularly dangerous for people with previous heart problems. Climate change also leads to the dirtying of air which indirectly contributes to cardiovascular problems because pollutants can result in inflammation and oxidative stress within organ tissues. The burden from cardiovascular diseases will increase as the effects of climate change on weather patterns and air quality become more pronounced.
Learn about climate change and cardiovascular health here.
Explore research on the cardiovascular effects by the American Heart Association.
Effects of climate change on health, indirectly
A. Transmission of Communicable Diseases
Patterns of temperature and precipitation are changing as a result of climate change, in turn affecting the distribution and nature of disease vectors such as mosquitoes (e.g. malaria), ticks (borreliosis) or fleas. Meanwhile, the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria or dengue is changing with climate warming.For instance, these vectors may find new homes as a result of global warming, including areas that were previously too cold for them to survive. Aedes, the mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue, Zika and other associated diseases has spread to new territories in which these infectious illnesses were previously not seen.
Read more on vector borne diseases and climate change.
WHO fact sheet on climate-related infectious diseases
B. Food and Water Security
AbstractReducing the public health risks of climate change would primarily involve mass reductions in global emissions and fossil fuel dependence, but also encompasses broader implications on food and water security – with cascading effects through on human development. Changes such as shifting precipitation patterns, more frequent extreme weather events and increased temperatures are likely to damage crop yield potential in African countries, leading to food deficiency or hikes in prices. As climate change and associated natural disasters increasingly unravel food systems, malnutrition has risen as a pressing challenge, one that is only slated to worsen in low-income regions. Moreover, alterations in water availability and quality driven by climate change can heighten the risk of diseases associated with water such as cholera and dysentery mostly… Especially where sanitation services are inadequate.
Read more about sustainable agriculture and why it plays a vital role in the world’s battle against global warming.
Go to the FAO site for more on climate change and food security.
C. Mental Health Effects
Climate change may have psychological impacts that are becoming a major public health concern. Trauma, anxiety and potential depression are among the impacts hurricanes, floods or wildfires can bring on people. The trauma of losing homes, jobs and family members will also result in long-running mental health challenges. More subtly, slow-moving changes like sea-level rise or desertification brought on by climate change can contribute to something known as “climate grief” describing the feelings of loss and despair associated with environmental shifts. For communities impacted by changes, taking mental health into account as a major component of adaptation measures to climate change can have a major positive impact on well-being.
Learn More about Mental Health and Climate Change
Look up PubMed studies related to Climate Change and its impact on Mental health.
Vulnerable Populations
A.Impact on Children and Old Person
An example of one the most vulnerable population to health effects from climate change, children and elderly each. These developing populations are not only vulnerable to other related impacts depending on their ages such as heat-related illnesses, respiratory issues and malnutrition for children whose bodies have evolved differently from adults. Heat stress, cardiovascular and mental health risks also increase dramatically in the elderly with comorbidities. We have found that public health interventions would be effective in helping vulnerable groups such as the elderly and isolated protect themselves against heat waves directly.Early warning systems for extreme weather events, well-resourced primary healthcare to respond proactively when waves of oppressive circumstances arise, or the creation of community networks giving support during high-risk periods are all examples of public health adaptations to climate change.
Learn about the effects of climate change on children and older adults.
Explore UNICEF climate change and children topics.
B.Effect on Impoverished and Minority Communities
Vulnerable, marginalized and low-income communities are suffering the most under climate change because of limited resources, sub-standard conditions to live in as well as inadequate access to healthcare. It could manifest in areas that are more high-risk when it comes to environmental hazards, like floodplains, urban heat islands and poor air quality. Climate justice is rooted in the idea that our response to climate change should be fair and minimize undesirable consequences, such as exacerbating existing health inequities or working directly against social determinants of health. It is essential to establish policies that target the inequalities between health disadvantages and determine who are most affected by the direct effects of climate change in order to reduce these aspects.
For more on Climate Justice and Health Disparities please see these posts:
Go to EPA’s Climate Change Indicators Vulnerable Populations
Potential Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
A. Public Health Initiatives
To deal with the health effects of climate change, we need to plan for public-health interventions at local as well as national and international levels. Public health advocates can communicate the risks of climate change and behaviors that reduce exposure to environmental hazards through public health campaigns. One thing is consensual among all the experts and professors that air quality shall be improved, something must be done to reduce heat island effects in urban planning which also includes water management we have seen good practices on how they are implementing green infrastructure for climate change adaptation at city level; safeguard clean drinking water sources along with healthy human food. Effective campus climate change adaptation and resilience strategies must be developed through a convergence of assistance from governments, healthcare providers among others.
Read about public health campaigns concerning climate change.
Go to the WHO’s page on health and climate change actions
B. Climate Mitigation
Given that climate change is real and greatly affected by greenhouse gas emissions, limiting global warming would be the best way of cutting out its worst health-related impacts. For example, cuts in emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will be substantial if we start to use renewable energy like wind-, solar- and hydropower. Carbon sequestrations can be improved and the environment in addition is more healthy due to reforesting or wise land usage practices. Global cooperation: An essential piece of the puzzle are international agreements such as the Paris Agreement which coordinate global efforts to limit emissions and temperature rise. Actions to address climate change can help reduce some health risks, but overall will not eliminate the negative impact of global warming on health.
View our renewable energy and carbon footprint reduction articles.
Read more about global climate via the UNFCCC
C. Personal Actions
We can also reduce our carbon footprint and protect ourselves from climate change. If you want to be part of the solution, simple measures such as taking public transport instead of driving yourself, using less energy or supporting sustainable practices can help. To guide decisions about individual actions or to advocate for policies that protect human health, it is important to keep abreast of developments related to climate change and its impact on health. People can also protect themselves against disasters by learning During Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Month, consider sharing what you learn about areas of disaster preparedness so that others know how extreme weather events are expected to become more common due to climate change and it is becoming increasingly important for everyone (individuals along with governments) prepare in advance.
Read: Our Guide To Reducing Your Carbon Footprint and Living Green
More on Energy Find more resources for Energy. gov for home energy-saving practices.
Conclusion
Climate change is an urgent, universal public health threat and addressing it cannot wait. Climate change has a variety of health impacts from direct effects like heat-related illness and respiratory disease, to indirect efficacy such as increased distribution of infectious diseases and mental wellness problems. These health risks impact vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and low income communities more than other demographic groups. Yet, with collective public health measures and climate mitigation alongside individual actions we can all take, these risks can be reduced to foster resilience in the face of continued changes underway in our environment.
Looking ahead, it is imperative that we remain informed and get involved to advance policy solutions which promote public health as well as environmental protection. Let us join forces against global warming to leave a better world for our future decades.
FAQs
1. In which ways does climate change influence human health?
Climate change is causing heat waves to occur more frequently and with greater intensity, which increases the risk of heat-related disorders including heat stroke and dehydration. Enlarged air pollution, which can trigger respiratory issues Enlarge the danger of heart attacks and strokes on elderly people
2. What are the consequences of climate change on secondary health?
Changes in habitats for mosquitoes and other vectors are leading to the spread of vector borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, constituting indirect health impacts from climate change. It affects food and water security directly impacting on nutrition outcomes while triggering the spread of waterborne diseases. There are also indirect impacts such as the negative mental health consequences of higher anxiety, more depression and trauma that stem from extreme weather.
3. Things like, who suffers most from the health impacts of climate change?
Climate Change and Health: Children, the elderly, low-income or marginalized communities are especially vulnerable to health impacts of climate change. This category of individuals is vulnerable by virtue of age, underlying health challenges and limited material resources which were compounded exposure to environmental hazards.
4. How do the health impacts of climate change response to intervention?
Protection against health risks from climate change requires a series of activities including interventions, public mitigation policies as well private actions. What we Talk about when We Talk About Health and Climate is how can health advocates contribute to mitigating climate change, benefiting public health priorities like reducing greenhouse gas emissions (air pollution), improving air quality, providing for clean water and nutritious food systems globally; all of the while ensuring that their sectors are always raising awareness on these interrelated issues with a rights-based approach.
5. What can people do to prevent themselves from falling ill due to climate change?
Perhaps the best we can do is to focus on what individuals might be able to protect themselves from if they pay attention and get out of harm’s way, stay informed about climate risks around their neighborhood or globe-trotting lifestyle depending upon one’s own contribution (or lack thereof) to a bigger carbon footprint causing those extreme weather events. It includes things like driving less, eating no or lower-meat diets, planting trees (if the bio is right), hanging clothes outside to dry and buying fewer processed foods with palm oil.
Call to Action
Educate yourself, do something and be an advocate for good policies that protect both human health as well the environment. We can fight climate change, and guarantee a more healthy future for every Constructor. Make sustainable day-to-day choices and let others check it out too alongside highlighting how health is affected by our changing climate.