How climate change is putting our health at risk
Due to the unprecedented change in climate and weather, human health is being put at risk across the globe. It’s not just the excessive heat that we should be worried about, it’s also the air pollution that comes with it. Air pollution comes from many sources, including cigarette smoke, natural sources such as volcanoes, and even man-made sources like cars and industrialization. Air pollution can cause breathing problems, heart disease, and even cancer. What you may not realize about climate change is how it will have serious impacts on human health. It’s already begun to do so in ways that we don’t even think about often enough. Luckily, there are steps we can take to limit the negative effects of climate change and mitigate their effect on our health so read on to learn more about how climate change affects human health, and what you can do to help out!
Global warming is real
The primary cause of global warming is a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. As more greenhouse gases get released into Earth’s atmosphere, it causes Earth to trap more heat. What Are Greenhouse Gases? Greenhouse gases are gasses that, when present in Earth’s atmosphere, trap heat and keep it from escaping into space. They include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapor, ozone (O3), and fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Major sources of greenhouse gas emissions include electricity generation by burning fossil fuels, transportation, and manufacturing.
The effects on the Earth’s atmosphere
The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2016 marked the first time in history that CO2 concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere topped 400 parts per million. From a public-health perspective, here are two key findings from last year's report: Increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere resulting in more extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and heat waves. This can have devastating effects on human health by triggering outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. The current global warming trend also influences air quality and respiratory problems.
The effects on natural resources
Deforestation and other human activities affect natural resources such as water. This can have serious consequences, from forcing people to move out of their homes to illness due to drinking unhealthy water. In some countries, droughts can be devastating for families who rely on farming for food or employment. Climate change may increase or decrease diseases in certain regions, resulting in more illnesses or deaths than normal.
The effects on agriculture
More than 150 million smallholder farmers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are already feeling its effects with reduced crop yields, lower incomes, and increased food insecurity, Climate change increases both heat-related and infectious disease risks. As people become more accustomed to living in hotter temperatures (the average global temperature has risen by 0.9 degrees Celsius since 1900), they're less likely to seek out air conditioning or cooler clothing; they'll also have an increased chance of developing certain heat-related illnesses. And because certain microorganisms thrive in warmer temperatures, outbreaks related to contaminated food or water will increase.
The effects on humans and animals
As temperatures warm and humidity levels rise, heat waves and extreme weather are becoming more frequent. More than 3,000 deaths occur in America alone each year during extreme heat waves. In 2012, a severe drought in Texas caused a spike in local food prices as cattle ranchers were forced to send their herds to market early because of a lack of pastureland. But it’s not just extreme weather that threatens human health it’s how we react to these changes that cause problems too. When water supplies dwindle, adults become more stressed and depressed; mothers tend to over-strict their children; drinkers increase alcohol consumption by up to 36 percent; while people in relationships experience higher rates of domestic violence.
Water-Borne Disease
Waterborne illnesses are more prevalent in developing countries where there is not much treatment for diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and others. These ailments spread via contaminated drinking water or by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.
Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Pollen
Just like greenhouse gases, climate change causes global temperatures to rise. Higher temperatures mean that insects like ticks and mosquitoes are living longer, getting bigger, and having more babies. That’s bad news for humans in some parts of the world; scientists have found that rising temperatures are leading to an increase in tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Climate change is also affecting pollen; higher temperatures are lengthening ragweed seasons (and forcing allergy sufferers indoors), as well as increasing pollen production from other plants. Pollen can be carried by the wind for thousands of miles—meaning people who previously wouldn’t have been affected by certain plants' allergens are now experiencing symptoms related to those pollens year-round.
Air Quality
It’s no secret that air quality is one of our biggest environmental health threats. In some parts of Asia, up to 90% of people have respiratory issues from poor air quality, and in countries like China, where large amounts of coal are burned each year, pollution can be seen from space. But what many people don’t realize is how climate change affects our local air as well. Heat waves lead to ozone build-up and forest fires can cause respiratory distress as they pollute our atmosphere.
Climate change and mental health issues
When a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina or an international crisis like war hits, we know that mental health and anxiety issues are often triggered. Studies show that climate change can worsen mental health issues by increasing stress levels and potentially causing or worsening post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. But what you may not realize is that even smaller changes in our environment can affect our well-being too; these changes include seasonal weather patterns and temperature. Climate change will affect us all but some people will be more vulnerable than others, including children, older adults, those who are unemployed and uninsured, as well as communities already facing food insecurity, economic distress, and other hardships.
Conclusion
The evidence is mounting, and scientists are weighing in. The average global temperature continues to rise, polar ice caps continue to melt, and weather patterns continue to shift with potentially devastating effects on human health and well-being. We may not be able to stop these changes from happening entirely, but we can do a lot more to prepare for them. This requires international cooperation as well as measures taken by individuals on a local level it will take action both big and small to make sure we can respond appropriately when disaster strikes.
0 Comments