Which health issues does the change in climate (global warming) bring?
Throughout the world, the prevalence of some diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on local climate. Extreme temperatures can lead directly to loss of life, while climate-related disturbances in ecological systems, such as changes in the range of infective parasites, can indirectly impact the incidence of serious infectious diseases. In addition, warm temperatures can increase air and water pollution, which in turn harm human health. Human health is strongly affected by social, political, economic, environmental and technological factors, including urbanization, affluence, scientific developments, individual behavior and individual vulnerability (e.g., genetic makeup, nutritional status, emotional well-being, age, gender and economic status). The extent and nature of climate change impacts on human health vary by region, by relative vulnerability of population groups, by the extent and duration of exposure to climate change itself and by society’s ability to adapt t
8 questions about the last day of Copenhagen climate talks By David A. Fahrenthold Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, December 18, 2009; 10:57 AM Eight new questions about the last day of climate talks in Copenhagen. 1. What did President Obama say? He said a lot of things forcefully, but not much that was new. Obama’s speech to this U.N. conference on climate change largely covered points laid out previously by other U.S. representatives. He talked about America’s willingness to reduce greenhouse gases “in the range of” 17 percent, as measured against 2005 levels, by 2020. He talked about the U.S. offer to “help build” a $100 billion international fund to help poor countries adapt to climate change. And he urged China — without mentioning the country by name — to accept international monitoring to see if it is complying with emissions-cutting pledges. Instead of offering new details about U.S. plans, Obama used his speech to urge the fractious delegates to agree in the waning mome
Although heat related illnesses and deaths will increase with the temperatures, climate change is expected to also attack human health with dirtier air and water, more flood-related accidents and injuries, threats to food supplies, hundreds of millions of environmental refugees, and stress on and possible collapse of many ecosystems that now purify our air and water. “When most people think about climate change, they think of heat stress from heat waves,” said Cindy Parker, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. “The heat wave in Western Europe in 2003 killed in excess of 30,000 people who wouldn’t have died otherwise.
Although heat related illnesses and deaths will increase with the temperatures, climate change is expected to also attack human health with dirtier air and water, more flood-related accidents and injuries, threats to food supplies, hundreds of millions of environmental refugees, and stress on and possible collapse of many ecosystems that now purify our air and water. “When most people think about climate change, they think of heat stress from heat waves,” said Cindy Parker, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. “The heat wave in Western Europe in 2003 killed in excess of 30,000 people who wouldn’t have died otherwise. With climate change, heat waves will become more severe, and last for longer periods of time.” Sources: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061023192524.
Throughout the world, the prevalence of some diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on local climate. Extreme temperatures can lead directly to loss of life, while climate-related disturbances in ecological systems, such as changes in the range of infective parasites, can indirectly impact the incidence of serious infectious diseases. In addition, warm temperatures can increase air and water pollution, which in turn harm human health. Human health is strongly affected by social, political, economic, environmental and technological factors, including urbanization, affluence, scientific developments, individual behavior and individual vulnerability (e.g., genetic makeup, nutritional status, emotional well-being, age, gender and economic status). The extent and nature of climate change impacts on human health vary by region, by relative vulnerability of population groups, by the extent and duration of exposure to climate change itself and by society’s ability to adapt t
