One of the
most recent topics that I have been looking into is the topic of climate change
and global health. As everyone knows, this idea of pollution and global warming
has been lingering in the background of the health world for numerous years
now. At times, it can be brought to the forefront and certain events can make
this issue surface again, but for the most part, this is definitely a problem
that is put on the backburner for the majority of the time.
The obvious
issue with climate change is the fact that it can affect many of the social and
environmental determinants that are involved in some of the most common
diseases and illnesses around the world. These determinants that are affected
can consist of things such as sufficient food sources, secure shelter, clean
air, and safe drinking water. According to the World Health Organization,
between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause approximately 250,000
additional deaths per year. These deaths can be attributed to things such as
malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress, all of which are caused by
climate change. Another important thought is that by the year 2030, the direct
costs to health related issues due to climate change will be somewhere between
2 and 4 billion dollars per year. In order to halt the progression of the
climate change, people are encouraged to reduce their emissions of greenhouse
gases by using alternative forms of transportation and making smarter food and
energy choices that will result in improved health for all.
The idea of
global warming is one of the biggest concepts that contribute to climate change
and ultimately other health issues. In the past century, the average
temperature around the world has increased by 0.75 degrees Celsius. Diving even
further into that concept, the past 3 decades have been significantly warmer
than any decade prior. This is causing sea levels to rise drastically because
of the melting of glaciers. Also, extreme weather patterns are becoming more
common and more intense.
According
to the World Health Organization, the extreme heat and weather patterns in
general can contribute directly to deaths from heart disease and respiratory
disease. Another point is that the higher temperatures can raise levels of
numerous air pollutants, which can exacerbate heart and respiratory disease.
People with asthma are also of concern because the high temperatures can
increase pollen and other allergen levels, which can also aggravate asthma and
cause asthma attacks.
Another
aspect of climate change is the extreme weather patterns that are affecting
people all over the world. Since the 1960s, the number of weather-related
natural disasters has tripled. These natural disasters and weather patterns can
affect the growth of food and the supply of fresh water. Changes in climate can
also contribute to the transmission of water-borne diseases and other diseases
that are transmitted through insects. The transmission seasons of vector-borne
disease can be lengthened and their geographic range can be altered because of
the drastic changes.
I think
that many of these issues are complex and are simply overlooked when
considering the issue of climate change. Some of these points are not common
knowledge, so I think that it would be beneficial to make this into something
that everyone can understand. By putting this information into terms in which
people can grasp, there might be better success when trying to implement
change.
References:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs266/en/
I found it very interesting to know more about the climate problem and how magnitude of this problem in our world. I is really an important global issue that we should consider especially during the coming years while the weather gets wilder and the natural disasters swipes a lot of lives. there is a lot that we can do regarding solving this environmental problem. Recycling and decrease harmful environmental materials in industry will decrease the effect of green gas emission which is one of the most important reasons of increase temperature of the earth. The governments play an important role in setting legislations and restrictions on factories regarding disposing of their hazardous waste. I found this video a very interesting one which talk about climate problem: http://vimeo.com/105412070.
ReplyDeleteThe most vulnerable people of all these climatic changes are children, the elderly, the poor and those with underlying health conditions will be at increased risk for health effects. The question is how long should we look up to our leaders to pass laws and enforce them so we can create a better environmental health for us all? I think these staggering statistics raised in the article is a clarion call for each one of us to make conscious efforts from our homes to our various communities to protect our environment just by being responsible daily activities be it consumption or disposal and that way individual efforts will grow into community efforts then trickle at regional levels and so on. No matter how many talk shows leaders hold or how many demonstrations activists may be organize, climate change affect us all and the time to act is now.
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