Climate change poses a major challenge to society and the future of human health. Our increasing understanding of climate change is transforming how we view the boundaries of human health. While health is most often correlated with heredity, occupation, exercise, and diet, the human population requires “services” from the biosphere that are essential to survival. Populations across the Earth need food, water, and comfort of climatic stability. The Earth’s climate system is fundamental to all life support, which is why it is crucial we take action now and increase our understanding of the implications of climate change.
Today, humankind’s activities are altering the state of the climate. Due to the increase in atmospheric energy-trapping gases, the naturally occurring greenhouse effect is being amplified. The greenhouse effect is vital for warming the Earth’s surface, which is needed for life on earth. When the sun’s rays reach the surface of the earth, some of it is reflected back into space while the rest is absorbed and radiated back out by greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases are comprised mainly of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion and forest burning, and nitrous oxides which are defined as the combination of nitrogen molecules and oxygen atoms formed by the photochemical dissociation of ozone in the atmosphere.
During the 20th century, the world average of surface temperatures increased about 0.6ºC. Further warming is predicted in the future along with changes in weather patterns and climatic variability in the coming centuries. Climatologists predict these forecasts based on sophisticated climate models that can be applied to possible future scenarios based on existing data.
Climate change illustrates that humans are changing the Earth’s biological and ecological systems. This is demonstrated with ozone depletion in the stratosphere, loss of biodiversity, stress on marine food systems, lack of clean freshwater, and the rise of persistent pollutants. Throughout history humans have always battled natural disasters. In the present world we will need new strategies to adapt to the predicted rise in global temperature as indicated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2001).
The change in climate is likely to severely disrupt the functioning of ecosystems and their species. This indicates that there will be impacts on human health. Overall, scientists predict these health impacts on humans to be adverse. The World Health Organization estimated in 2002 that climate change was responsible for roughly 2.4% of world diarrhoea and 6% of malaria in developing countries. Some detectable changes in human health will vary with latitude and altitude. Vector-borne illnesses and food-borne infections peak in the warmer months, indicating a noticeable increase in the warmer climate. An overall warmer temperature combined with an increase in climatic variability are likely to alter thermal extremes and health impacts in summer and winter.
The impact of climate change on human health is becoming a major theme in health research. Consideration of environmental hazards to human health will become a main role in sustainability transition. Climate change is not only a threat for human health, but for the economy as well. Climate change crosses many disciplines which is likely to affect the human population in one way or another in the future.
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