How does climate change illness affect the health of humans:

How does climate change illness affect the health of humans:

The increase in temperature in the atmosphere is more specifically called global warming. But climate change is the term currently preferred by scientists because it explicitly includes not only the increasing global average temperature of the Earth but also the climatic effects caused by this increase.

Any gas that has the property of absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the earth's surface and re-radiating it back to the earth's surface is called a greenhouse gas.  Other greenhouse gases include but are not limited to, surface ozone, nitrous oxide, sulfur fluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons.

Although a naturally occurring phenomenon, the greenhouse effect results in the warming of the Earth's surface and the troposphere - the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Of the greenhouse gases, water vapor has the greatest influence.

Some important causes of the greenhouse effect include the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, deforestation, population growth, agriculture, industrial wastes, and landfills.

Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. At higher than normal concentrations, they lead to unnatural warming. The main cause of the current global warming trend is the human expansion of the greenhouse effect, the warming that occurs when the atmosphere traps heat radiated from the Earth into space.

Even a small increase in global temperature could lead to worrying consequences such as rising sea levels, population displacement, food supply disruptions, flooding, and adverse health effects. Human health bears the brunt of the consequences of climate change.

Adverse effects of climate change on health -

creating health problems in places where they did not exist before.

Effects of temperature increase -

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases lead to increases in both average and extreme temperatures.  Loss of core temperature regulation can result in a cascade of illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hyperthermia in the presence of extreme heat, and hypothermia and frostbite in the presence of extreme cold.

People working outdoors, socially isolated, economically disadvantaged and people with chronic diseases are more vulnerable to the impact of rising temperatures.

Impact of air quality -

Climate change has altered weather patterns, which in turn has affected the levels and locations of outdoor air pollutants such as ground-level ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter. Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) also encourage the growth of plants that release airborne allergens. Higher pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons can increase allergic sensitization and asthma episodes, thereby reducing productivity at work and school. Poor air quality, whether outdoors or indoors, can negatively affect a person's respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Effects of extreme events -

Climate change is causing an increase in the occurrence and severity of some extreme events that can have health impacts such as death or injury during the event, such as drowning in floods. Health impacts can also occur before and after an extreme event, as individuals involved in activities such as disaster preparedness and post-event cleanup put their health at risk. 

Vector-borne diseases -

These vectors can carry infectious pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa that can be transferred from one host (vector) to another. Seasonality, distribution, and prevalence of vector-borne diseases are significantly affected by climate. Climate change is likely to have both short- and long-term effects on vector-borne disease transmission and infection patterns, affecting both seasonal risk and disease incidence over decades.

Water-related diseases -

Climate change is expected to affect freshwater and marine water resources in ways that increase human exposure to water-related contaminants that cause disease. Water-related diseases include water-borne diseases caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Water-related diseases are also caused by toxins produced by some harmful algae and chemicals introduced into water sources by human activity. Exposure occurs through ingestion, direct contact with contaminated drinking or recreational water, and consumption of contaminated fish and seafood.

Mental Health Effects -

The mental health consequences of climate change range from minimal stress and anxiety symptoms to clinical disorders such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicidal tendencies. Children, the elderly, women (especially pregnant and postpartum women), people with pre-existing mental illness, the economically disadvantaged, and the homeless are more exposed to its mental health consequences.

Effects on food safety and quality -

Climate change is very likely to affect global, regional, and local food security by disrupting food availability, reducing access to food, and making it more difficult to use it. Higher CO2 concentrations can reduce protein and essential mineral levels in several widely consumed crops, including wheat, rice, and potatoes, with potentially negative consequences for human nutrition. Poor nutritional quality of food is more likely to adversely affect vulnerable populations.

Bottom Line -

Over the past 50 years, human activity has released enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to trap additional heat in the lower atmosphere and affect the global climate. 

According to the WHO (World Health Organization):

Climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health – clean air, safe drinking water, enough food, and safe shelter.

Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause around 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress.

So, given the serious effects of climate change on human health, we all need to make a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through better transportation, food, and energy to improve our health, especially by reducing air pollution.