Leaving aside the debate over who or what is to blame, 16 of the 17 hottest years on record have occurred since 2001 — and 2016 was the hottest ever. While the consequences of melting ice caps or vanishing species may seem remote, the health effects of a warming planet are already being felt, experts warn. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a Climate and Health Program in 2009 to address the issue, although its future is uncertain. A CDC conference on the subject that had been scheduled for this past January was canceled before the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
The growing menace of mosquito-borne infections like last year’s Zika outbreak, skyrocketing rates of allergies and asthma, and illness and deaths from heat waves and catastrophic “superstorms” are a few of the ways that climate change wreaks havoc. “There are so many pathways through which climate affects health that when you add them all up, I view this as the greatest environmental public health crisis of our times,” says Dr. Jonathan Patz, professor of environmental public health at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and director of its Global Health Institute. These are some of the health effects physicians and scientists are most worried about:
[See: 16 Ways Your Body Adjusts to a New Climate.]
Air Quality
Studies have shown that the changing climate has altered weather patterns, which in turn are changing the location and concentrations of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter from vehicle exhaust and industrial pollution. Result: a greater risk of cancer and of worsening respiratory ailments like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Some particulates can pass into the bloodstream and raise the potential for heart attacks and strokes. In addition, “pollutants can have harmful effects on other parts of the body, affecting pregnancy, child development and the central nervous system,” says Janice Nolen, assistant vice president of national policy for the American Lung Association. According to the ALA, 4 in 10 Americans now live in counties that have unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution.
What’s more, says Patz, warmer temperatures plus more carbon dioxide in the air lead to an increase in ragweed pollen, which is dangerous for asthmatics. Research from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst shows that plants growing in an environment with high levels of CO2 boost pollen levels by 50 percent. And an Italian study of 12 European cities found that for every degree Celsius the temperature jumped (about 2 degrees Fahrenheit), hospitalizations from respiratory- and asthma-related illnesses in the elderly rose by 4.5 percent.
Infectious Diseases
Illnesses whose transmission depends on insects like the Aedes aegypti mosquito — Zika virus, as well as yellow fever and dengue — are a more widespread threat as warmer latitudes expand. Not only does the reach of the insects spread into once uninhabitable areas, but also the reproductive cycle accelerates so that more mosquitoes are born each year. In addition, the incubation period of the virus inside the insects shortens, and when mosquitoes bite they are more likely to be infectious. As a result of the Zika virus, a new CDC report shows, pregnant women who are infected are having babies with birth defects at a rate 20 times higher than during the pre-Zika years. National Institutes of Health scientists are racing to test vaccines against the viral illness along with effective ways to eradicate mosquitoes, while health officials in Florida and the Gulf Coast brace for more cases. It’s not just mosquitoes: Ticks responsible for transmitting Lyme disease and other harmful microbes have also expanded their range. Long term, scientists expect warmer temperatures to lead to the emergence of new pathogens.
[See: 10 (Mostly) Natural Ways to Evade Mosquitoes.]
Heat Waves and Extreme Weather Events
When heat spikes to the high 90s and into the triple digits, people who work outside and vulnerable populations — children, the elderly, those battling chronic illnesses — are at heightened risk of heat stroke and even heart attack and death in many cases. Extreme heat also exacerbates chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, respiratory illnesses and diabetes. Over 700 people died during a 1995 Chicago summer heat wave, and scientists believe more such deaths can be expected in coming years. A recent analysis in the journal Nature Climate Change predicts that Persian Gulf cities will be too hot for humans to live in by the end of the century.
Changing weather patterns also cause more tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and serious droughts. Beyond the obvious danger of injuries and drownings, the disruption and displacement caused by these events can result in long-lasting psychological trauma. A 2015 study of more than 100,000 New Jersey residents who had experienced significant damage to their homes in the wake of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy found that 30 months after the storm, 27 percent were still experiencing moderate to severe mental health distress and 14 percent reported symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder. “You can’t call these severe climate events acts of God anymore,” says Patz. “They can be attributed to greenhouse gases that we are emitting into the atmosphere.”
[See: 7 Lifestyle Tips to Manage Your Asthma.]
Food Production and Nutrition
A warming planet might seem to be a plus for growing foods, but the stress on plants from heat actually decreases crop yields and quality. “There are 15 different mechanisms by which climate change can hurt food production, from the impact of carbon dioxide on the growth of plants to changes in the actual nutrient content,” says Samuel Myers, a senior research scientist in environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and director of the Planetary Health Alliance, a consortium of universities and other groups focused on research and policy surrounding health and the changing environment. Myer’s research on foods grown at levels of carbon dioxide expected by 2050 found that staples like grains and legumes lost significant nutritional value. Population-wide deficiencies in zinc and iron, for example, would likely increase the incidence of infectious disease and of maternal and neonatal deaths, respectively, he says.
Despite these threats, many scientists remain hopeful. The new administration’s skeptical positions on climate change notwithstanding, many cities and states are forging ahead with plans to go greener. Around 30 states now have established standards requiring power companies to boost their reliance on renewable energy sources, and scores of cities have committed to reducing their carbon footprint. But recognizing the climate challenge as a health crisis may have an even more powerful impact. Says Patz: “People always care about their health and the health of their children.”
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A Hotter Climate Could Make You Sick originally appeared on usnews.com
