Nancy Rudner: How climate change impacts your health

It’s warm, and getting warmer. Scientists predict that the number of 100-degree days per year is increasing. The Earth has always been changing. The evidence suggests the Ice Age wiped out the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs did not walk around denying it was getting colder. They died off. And now as the earth warms, our (human) health can be at risk. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that global warming in the past 30 years has claimed about 150,000 lives annually.

Global average surface temperatures have increased about 1 degree (F) in the past 100 years. On “the surface,” that may not sound like much; but with the concentration of carbon dioxide creating a blanket to keep the planet warm, life and our planet are cooking. The most common source of carbon dioxide that is warming the globe: humans using fossil fuels. It is projected that if we do not make significant changes, these “greenhouse” emissions will increase the surface temperature by 2 to 10 degrees in the next 100 years. That is a big increase, and it is in our hands. In the June 2015 issue of the esteemed British medical journal, Lancet, the Commission on Health and Climate Change clearly identifies the charge: “Tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century.”

How can a slight increase in temperature kill people? The fragile life balance is thrown off by changing the environment, by altering the delicate balance of air, water and heat. Let’s look at how the warming earth impacts our health.

Extreme weather

We have seen the destruction from hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. Sometimes people are caught in these events and pay with their lives. Sometimes, our public safety and public health efforts avert the human damage, but the destruction of our habitats has long-term effects. Consider the resources consumed by trying to manage and recover from extreme weather.

Heat waves

Heat waves stress the body, especially for the most vulnerable: the very young, the very old, and those with other health problems. The 2003 heat wave in Europe claimed 22,000 lives. The Chicago heat wave of 1995 took more than 500 lives.

Deteriorating air quality

Warming impairs air quality, increasing respiratory disease and death. The greenhouse blanket keeps pollutants in the air, spurring more respiratory illnesses. The degradation of air quality exacerbates existing lung diseases, such as the increase in asthma we have seen among children. Poor air quality can also create more lung disease and lung cancers.

More infectious diseases

As the Earth warms, we are likely to experience more infectious diseases. Higher temperatures and rising water levels both boost mosquito reproduction. It is no coincidence that we have seen emerging diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and West Nile virus, all infections carried by mosquitoes. It is not unthinkable that Florida could once again host malaria. Microbes can proliferate, increasing risks for infectious disease and damaging water quality.

Food supply

We have already seen the impact of droughts and water shortages. With slight global temperature increases, more water evaporates, rain diminishes or is poorly distributed, and crop survival is altered. When droughts are widespread, famine can also be widespread.

Response is everything

The impacts of climate change on health will depend on our response not just to reduce carbon emissions, but also to prepare for change and develop and fund a public health strategy to mitigate the impact. The impact will likely vary by region, nation, and neighborhood as well as the intensity of the exposure to climate-induced changes.