Impact Of Climate change On Human Body
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| Impact of climate change |
Nasa reports
Changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations and other drivers alter the global climate and bring about myriad human health consequences. Environmental consequences of climate change, such as extreme heat waves, rising sea-levels, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and droughts, intense hurricanes, and degraded air quality, affect directly and indirectly the physical, social, and psychological health of humans. For instance, changes in precipitation are creating changes in the availability and quantity of water, as well as resulting in extreme weather events such as intense hurricanes and flooding. Climate change can be a driver of disease migration, as well as exacerbate health effects resulting from the release of toxic air pollutants in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with asthma or cardiovascular disease.
Climate change refers to long-term statistical shifts of the weather, including changes in the average weather condition or in the distribution of weather conditions around the average (i.e. extreme weather events). Despite many discussions on the causes for climate change, there is a general recognition of an on-going global climate change and the non-minor role of human activities during this process (IPCC, 2007). According to the European Environment Agency (EEA, 2008), the global average surface temperature has increased by 0.74 °C in the 20th century, the global sea level has been rising 1.8 mm per year since 1961,
and the Arctic sea ice has been shrinking by 2.7% per decade. Moreover, mountain glaciers are contracting, ocean water becomes more acidic, and extreme weather events occur more often. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted an average temperature rise of 1.5–5.8 °C across the globe during the 21st century, accompanied by increased extreme and anomalous weather events including heat-waves, floods and droughts (IPCC, 2001). Responding to global changes by pursuing a sustainable development is a major challenge to human society (Weng et al., 2013; Yang et al., 2013). Climate change can affect human health (Costello et al., 2009; Epstein, 1999; Kovats et al., 2000; Willox et al., 2015),
especially when infectious diseases are concerned (Altizer et al., 2013; Bouzid et al., 2014; Epstein, 2001a). Three components are essential for most infectious diseases: an agent (or pathogen), a host (or vector) and transmission environment (Epstein, 2001a). Some pathogens are carried by vectors or require intermediate hosts to complete their life cycle. Appropriate climate and weather conditions are necessary for the survival, reproduction, distribution and transmission of disease pathogens, vectors,
and hosts. Therefore, changes in climate or weather conditions may impact infectious diseases through affecting the pathogens, vectors, hosts and their living environment (Epstein, 2001a; Wu et al., 2014). Studies have found that long-term climate warming tends to favor the geographic expansion of several infectious diseases (Epstein et al., 1998; Ostfeld and Brunner, 2015; Rodó et al., 2013), and that extreme weather events may help create the opportunities for more clustered disease outbreaks or outbreaks at non-traditional places and time (Epstein, 2000). Overall, climate conditions constrain the geographic and seasonal distributions of infectious diseases, and weather affects the timing and intensity of disease outbreaks.
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| Global climate change |
and the Arctic sea ice has been shrinking by 2.7% per decade. Moreover, mountain glaciers are contracting, ocean water becomes more acidic, and extreme weather events occur more often. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted an average temperature rise of 1.5–5.8 °C across the globe during the 21st century, accompanied by increased extreme and anomalous weather events including heat-waves, floods and droughts (IPCC, 2001). Responding to global changes by pursuing a sustainable development is a major challenge to human society (Weng et al., 2013; Yang et al., 2013). Climate change can affect human health (Costello et al., 2009; Epstein, 1999; Kovats et al., 2000; Willox et al., 2015),
especially when infectious diseases are concerned (Altizer et al., 2013; Bouzid et al., 2014; Epstein, 2001a). Three components are essential for most infectious diseases: an agent (or pathogen), a host (or vector) and transmission environment (Epstein, 2001a). Some pathogens are carried by vectors or require intermediate hosts to complete their life cycle. Appropriate climate and weather conditions are necessary for the survival, reproduction, distribution and transmission of disease pathogens, vectors,
and hosts. Therefore, changes in climate or weather conditions may impact infectious diseases through affecting the pathogens, vectors, hosts and their living environment (Epstein, 2001a; Wu et al., 2014). Studies have found that long-term climate warming tends to favor the geographic expansion of several infectious diseases (Epstein et al., 1998; Ostfeld and Brunner, 2015; Rodó et al., 2013), and that extreme weather events may help create the opportunities for more clustered disease outbreaks or outbreaks at non-traditional places and time (Epstein, 2000). Overall, climate conditions constrain the geographic and seasonal distributions of infectious diseases, and weather affects the timing and intensity of disease outbreaks.
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| Evidence of climate change on human |
This research presents a systematic literature review on the scientific evidences for the impact of climate change on human infectious diseases. The study examines the observed and predicted impacts of changes in major climate variables and extreme weather events on the pathogen, host, and transmission of human infectious diseases. Through discussing the research progress and gaps on the possible strategies for human society to respond to, adapt to, and prepare for the impact of climate change, the research sheds light for future studies.
This study was supported by the National Research Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2012CB955501, 2012AA12A407, 2013AA122003)
" Climate change is expected to exacerbate health problems that already pose a major burden to vulnerable populations "
The report shares at least five major insights:
1. Certain groups have higher susceptibility to climate-sensitive health impacts owing to their age (children and elderly), gender (particularly pregnant women), social marginalization (associated in some areas with indigenous populations, poverty or migration status), or other health conditions like HIV. The socioeconomic costs of health problems caused by climate change are considerable.
2. Many infectious diseases, including water-borne ones, are highly sensitive to climate conditions.
illustrates the correlation between temperature and diarrhea. A main concern in both developed and developing countries was the increase in and increased geographical spread of diarrhoeal diseases, the report found.
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| Infection diseases |
3. Climate change lengthens the transmission season and expands the geographical range of many diseases like malaria and dengue. For example, the conditions for dengue transmission are likely to expand significantly across the globe
4. Climate change will bring new and emerging health issues, including heatwaves and other extreme events. Heat stress can make working conditions unbearable and increase the risk of cardiovascular, respiratory and renal diseases. Additionally, it is estimated that 22.5 million people are displaced annually by climate or weather-related disasters, and these figures are expected to increase in the future. Climate-induced human mobility has a socioeconomic cost and can affect mental and physical health.
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| coming health concern |
5. Malnutrition and undernutrition were highlighted as a concern for a number of developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which discussed the impacts of climate change on food security, particularly in relation to floods and drought.
Certain adverse health effects can be minimized or avoided with sound mitigation and adaptation strategies. Strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change can prevent illness and death in people now, while also protecting the environment and health of future generations. Mitigation refers to actions being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance the sinks that trap or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Adaptation refers to actions being taken to lessen the impact on health and the environment due to changes that cannot be prevented through mitigation. Appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies will positively affect both climate change and the environment, and thereby positively affect human health. Some adaptation activities will directly improve human health through changes in our public health and health care infrastructure.
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| Awareness programme |
The report highlights inspiring examples of adaptation solutions for health worldwide:
- The Climate Adaptation Management and Innovation Initiative of the Word Food Programme develops climate-induced food insecurity analyses and practices to inform programming and decision-making. The initiative focuses on16 countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern, Central and Northern Africa.
- In France, the Tiger Mosquito Surveillance Network monitors the tiger mosquito’s movements.
- The Smart Health Facilities Initiative and Smart Hospitals Toolkit is being implemented through the Pan American Health Organization in the Caribbean with the aim of supporting the governments of the selected countries to assess and prioritize vulnerability reduction investments in their health facilities.
- Some countries integrate health into their national adaptation plans (NAPs) and programmes. For example, Macedonia and six additional countries are part of an initiative of WHO and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety that brings health into adaptation plans.
- There are also a number of training and awareness-raising activities, including the Self-Learning Course on Climate Change and Health, developed by Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health in line with the joint Pan American Health Organization/WHO Strategy and Plan for Action on Climate Change. The training aims at raising awareness and improving knowledge on the health effects of climate change among the general public and other sectors.
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