Climate Change: Its Ill-Effects on Health

Increases in atmospheric temperature are more specifically referred to as global warming. But climate change is a term favored by scientists, as it clearly shows not only the rising global average temperature on earth, but also the impact of climate change on the rise.

Any gas, which has the ability to absorb infrared radiation emitted from the Earth's surface and converts it back to the Earth's surface, is called greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor are the most important greenhouse gases. Other greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, surface ozone, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluids, hydro fluorocarbon, each fluorocarbon and chlorofluorocarbon.

Despite the natural phenomena, the greenhouse effect results in the warming of the earth's surface and the troposphere - the lowest atmospheric layer. Of greenhouse gases, water vapor has the biggest impact.

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

Greenhouse gases capture heat in the atmosphere. With higher concentrations than normal, it leads to unnatural heating. The main cause of the current global warming is the human development of the greenhouse effect, a warming that causes the atmosphere of hot traps to radiate from Earth to space.

Even small global temperatures can cause disruptive effects such as rising sea levels, population displacement, food shortages, floods, and adverse health effects. In fact, human health has a devastating effect on climate change.

The impact of climate change on health -

Climate change can adversely affect human health in two ways: first, by changing the severity or frequency of health problems that have been affected by climate factors and secondly, by causing health problems where they have never occurred before.

Effect of temperature rise -

Increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases leads to an increase in average and extreme temperatures. This can affect the body's ability to control its temperature. Loss of internal temperature regulation can cause illness, including heat shock, heat exhaustion, heat illness and hyperthermia with the presence of extreme heat, and hypothermia and inflammation in the presence of extreme cold. Excessive temperature can also exacerbate chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cerebro-vascular disease, and diabetes-related illnesses.

People who work outdoors, are socially isolated, are less economically disadvantaged and those with chronic illness are more prone to the effects of rising temperatures.

Air quality effects -

Climate change has changed the pattern of the weather, which in turn affects the levels and locations of outdoor air pollution such as ozone levels (O3) and fine particulate matter. Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) also promote the growth of plants that release airborne allergens. Higher pollen concentrations and longer flowering seasons can increase allergic sensitivities and asthma episodes, limiting productivity at work and school. Poor air quality, whether indoors or indoors, can affect human respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

The effects of extreme events -

Climate change causes an increase in the incidence and severity of some extreme events, which can have health impacts such as death or injury during an event, for example, drowning during a flood. Health impacts can also occur before and after extreme events, as individuals are involved in activities such as disaster preparedness and post-disaster cleanup. The severity and extent of the health effects associated with extreme events depend on the physical effects of the incident itself.

Vector borne diseases -

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted by vector, including mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. These vectors can carry infected pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, which can be transferred from one host (carrier) to another. Seasonality, distribution, and prevalence of vector borne diseases are significantly affected by climate. Climate change is likely to have both short-term and long-term effects on transmission patterns and patterns of vector infection that affect both seasonal and disease risk for decades.

Water-related diseases -

Climate change is expected to affect fresh and marine sources in a way that will increase people's exposure to water-related pollution. 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 certain harmful algae and by chemicals introduced into the water source by human activities. Exposure occurs through ingestion, direct contact with contaminated drinks or recreational water and through the use of contaminated fish and seafood.

Mental health effects -

The mental health consequences of climate change include minimal stress and depressive symptoms for clinical disorders such as anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress, and suicidal tendencies. Children, the elderly, women (especially pregnant women and post-partum), people with existing mental illnesses, are less fortunate and homeless are more vulnerable to mental health consequences.

Impact on food safety and quality -

Climate change is likely to affect global, regional and local food security by disrupting food availability, reducing access to food and making consumption more difficult. Higher CO2 concentrations may lower the levels of essential proteins and minerals in a number of widely used crops, including wheat, rice, and potatoes, with negative implications for human nutrition. Poor nutritional quality is more likely to affect at least a poor population.

Bottom line -

Over the past 50 years, human activity has produced large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to capture additional heat in the lower atmosphere and influence global climate. According to the WHO (World Health Organization):

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  Climate change affects the determinants of social and environmental health - clean air, safe drinking water, adequate food and safe protection.


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  Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause about 250000 additional deaths a year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress.

So, given the serious effects of climate change on human health, we should all work hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through better use of transportation, food and energy to improve our health, especially through reduced air pollution.

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