When we think of climate change we usually think about change of the planet only, and on a global scale. But climate change can have effects on individuals as well, and the individual effects are gradually becoming known. While the EPA (Environmental Protection Administration) notes the upside that climate change is “expected to bring a few benefits to health, including fewer deaths due to exposure to cold”, most of the other effects aren’t so rosy.
(The following is condensed from “Climate Change – Health and Environmental Effects“, US Environmental Protection Agency, April, 2010)
The EPA breaks down the potential health effects of climate change into 5 broad categories…
Direct Temperature Effects- Climate change means hotter summers and less extreme winters. In the US, Chicago is expected to get 25% more frequent heat waves, and LA can expect four to eight times as many heat wave days. While just uncomfortable for most people, people with heart problems, asthma, the very young and very old, and the homeless can be injured or die from the extreme heat.
Extreme Events- Extreme weather events, be they hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, heat or cold waves, or fires, are projected to increase as the climate changes. Ask anyone who’s lived through a tornado- all these events represent serious threats to an individual’s health.
Climate-Sensitive Diseases- Many diseases, or the vectors that carry them, are sensitively dependent on climate to thrive. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, lyme disease, and encephalitis are just some of the diseases expected to become more common as increased heat, rain, and humidity expands their viable territories. Algae blooms, especially in areas with polluted water, can increase the frequency of diseases like cholera.
Air Quality- Globally warmer temperatures affect the air’s ability to hold or cleanse pollutants. Warm air increases the frequency of smog or ground-level ozone, resulting in increases in respiratory disorders. Ground-level ozone can also damage lung tissue, increasing the problems for people with asthma and other chronic lung diseases. Another pollutant of concern is particulate matter, a mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particulates go to the deepest parts of the lungs when inhaled, and are linked to a variety of significant health problems. Particle pollution also is the main cause of haze in cities and national parks. Climate change can affect particulate concentration by increasing the particulate carrying capacity of the air, or by adding particulates indirectly through fires or dust storms.
Other Health Linkages- Less direct linkages exist between climate change and human health. For example, regional climate change impacts on agricultural yields are likely to grow over time, which increases the number of undernourished people globally and leading to complications in child development. Other, more subtle effects of climate change such as water scarcity will have similar indirect but serious effects.
Digging Deeper– There are many scholarly and general interest articles and research concerning the health effects of global warming. Here are just a few to get you started…
Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and Welfare and Human Systems (SAP 4.6), US EPA (Environmental Protection Administration), May, 2010
Climate Change – Health and Environmental Effects, US EPA, April, 2011
Climate Change and Health Fact Sheet, WHO (World Health Organization), January, 2010
Climate change and human health – risks and responses, WHO, 2003
Climate and Health Program, US CDC (Center for Disease Control), Nov, 2010
Health Problems Heat Up: Climate Change and the Public’s Health, Trust for America’s Health, Oct 2009
Highlighting Health Effects of Climate Change Could Inspire Action, Kathleen Blanchard, July, 2010
WHO Stresses Health Impact at Copenhagen Climate Event, Deborah Mitchell, Dec 2009
The Health Benefits of Tackling Climate Change, The Lancet, Nov 2010
Impact of regional climate change on human health, Jonathan Patz, Nature, 2005 (Scholarly article, frequently cited.)
Health Effects of Climate Change, Andy Haines, JAMA, Jan 2004
