How climate change is one of many global health issues by Maria Kiwan

There are many global health issues including Malaria, Zika, HIV/AIDS, different diseases, and more that impact our life. But is there something we see as normal and not harmless, slowly killing us? Are common issues worsening our health in particular ways? In this article, I will dive deep into what climate change can do to our bodies and our overall health.

“Every century has its own public health challenges, climate change is our century’s challenge” Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.

Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health.

What is climate change? Climate change is caused by human emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as the subsequent large-scale changes in weather patterns. It's a long-term shift in the average weather patterns that have come to characterize the climates of Earth's local, regional, and global regions.

How does it affect our health? Climate change, according to a recent survey, is the greatest global health challenge of the twenty-first century. Climate change is already causing more heatwaves, extreme weather, disease transmission, increased emissions, and lower productivity, according to a study published in The Lancet.

“Human health is vulnerable to climate change. The changing environment is expected to cause more heat stress, an increase in waterborne diseases, poor air quality, and diseases transmitted by insects and rodents. Extreme weather events can compound many of these health threats.” (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, cholera, and Lyme disease, all of which might be taken into consideration to be heat-sensitive diseases, are in all likelihood to heighten because of growing temperatures and greater intense climate activities added approximately through weather change.

A very obvious health issue that contributes to climate change is air pollution. This can damage and cause significant injuries to the body. Air pollution is a significant threat to respiratory and cardiovascular health, contributing to an increase in asthma, pneumonia, coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.

“I don’t want people to be surprised when they see cases of what used to be tropical diseases now being found in the United States as a result of changing climate,” said Gina McCarthy, director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama, in a November 28, 2018, New York Times article.

Who's most at risk?

• Children, particularly living in poorer countries,

• Elderly who can have severe health effects,

• People with or with pre-existing medical conditions,

• Areas with weak health infrastructures, primarily in developing countries, would be the least able to cope if they were left to their own devices to plan and react.

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted in 2014 that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will result in an additional 250,000 deaths per year due to malnutrition, diarrhea, heat stress, and malaria.

"Climate change is causing injuries, illnesses, and deaths, with the risks projected to increase substantially with additional climate change, threatening the health of many millions of people," said a reporter.

Here are some solutions we could practice at home:

• Seek alternative methods of energy such as solar energy, wind energy, and more!

• Recycle properly!

• Use less plastic and seek reusable alternatives!

• Plant trees and reduce cutting them!

Climate change is a very serious issue and should be looked at more since it’s causing horrible health problems. Our health is getting worse day by day without us realizing it. We need to keep this earth safe for everyone since it’s our only home. How and why were all of these issues looked over?

Sources:

• https://www.livescience.com/64535-climate-change-health-deaths.html

• https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/climate-change-global-health-threat/#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20says%20that,increasing%20pollution%2C%20and%20reduced%20productivity.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_variability_and_change

• https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/climate-change-impacts

• https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2014/09/04/how-climate-change-is-exacerbating-the-spread-of-disease/

• https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-can-climate-change-impact-health/?utm_source=paidsearch&utm_medium=usgrant&utm_campaign=verizon&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyN-DBhCDARIsAFOELTkRFCArM0x9-irrzfPN3vx12C3zpm6Uj2TaB9uSWMMWmN1BFeQ1wToaAnb8EALw_wcB

• https://prezi.com/bisqopbs_iwy/impact-of-climate-change-on-health/

• https://prezi.com/lse47ar2hfg7/climate-change-impact-on-human-health/

• https://www.who.int/health-topics/climate-change#tab=tab_1