Climate Change and Human Health
Climate change poses significant health threats, human-induced climate changes have continued to increase worldwide. Over the last half of a century, human activities to include burning of fossils have increased the level of Carbon Dioxide and greenhouse gases have risen and trapped additional heat in the lower atmosphere thus affecting the global climate (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d). As a result of an increase in greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, temperatures are changing, the sea levels are rising, the atmosphere is registering a change in perception and the occurrence of extreme weather has increased. These climate changes are life-threatening since they affect food and water sources, the air humans breathe in and the weather they experience. As the earth continues to experience human-induced climate changes the risk these changes pose to human health continues to increase.
Climatic changes taking place in the world currently have continued to pose more public threats to humankind. The U.S. has already experienced climate-related increases in temperatures, more severe and extreme weather conditions, degraded water quality, increase in diseases transmitted through food and water disease vectors to include mosquitos (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d). As time passes by the severity of these threats is expected to increase. Climatic induced threats are not predictable and are likely to occur over long periods. The positive impact of climatic changes is limited to several people and specific regions and cannot outweigh the negative impacts of climatic changes. For example, the reduction of cold-related deaths is smaller compared to the increase in heat-related deaths in most regions. Every American is at risk and is vulnerable to the negative health impacts of climate change. Citizens are exposed to many health threats and as a result of sensitivity and trying to adapt to these changes people become vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. When human factors to include demographics, social and economic factors interact with climate changes, existing health challenges are intensified and dire public health challenges are created.
Even when most Americans are at risk of climatic changes some groups are most vulnerable to these changes, these groups include low-income earners, immigrant groups, indigenous people, people living with disabilities and persons with chronic medical conditions (Greenberg, et al., 2015). The influences of weather and climate on human health are significant and vary across various geographical locations. When individuals are exposed to various climatic conditions simultaneously compounding health impacts can take place. The frequency and severity of weather and climatic conditions to include high temperatures, floods and drought leave behind negative consequences. Areas that are already experiencing health-threatening climatic conditions affect other regions, thus giving rise to new climatic threats (Greenberg, et al., 2015). Climate changes affect human health in two distinct ways; first by impacting how severe and frequently health problems already caused by climatic conditions are and by creating unpredicted health problems where they had not occurred.
A rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to the extreme temperatures that are being experienced in different locations. The increase in temperature is expected to increase heat-related deaths and illnesses (Greenberg, et al., 2015). Contrariwise this rise in temperature is likely to reduce, cold-related deaths. Those vulnerable to these risks include children, the economically challenged and the elderly. Days that are extremely hotter than the average summer temperature or days that are colder than the average temperature in winter increase the number and death and illnesses since the human body cannot be able to regulate its temperatures (Patz et al., 2016). When the human body loses control over its internal temperatures, medical conditions including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and hyperthermia can occur. Inversely, frostbite can occur in extremely cold conditions. Patients with chronic conditions to include cardiovascular diseases and kidney problems are at greater risk when exposed to extreme temperatures.
According to the World Health Organization, it has been estimated that between 2030 and 2050 climate change is likely to cause over 200,000 deaths per year on a global scale. Also, on a global scale, climate change is expected to adversely affect food production and quality aspects of food, therefore the food system and distribution systems will experience radical changes (World Health Organization, n.d). It has also been predicted that livestock and fish production will also decrease as a result of climatic changes. The United States might be less affected compared to other countries but it will also face dire consequences as a result of climatic conditions. The food system is directly linked to the health of the citizens, therefore, Americans will be affected in different ways to include, citizens living in native Alaska will encounter food shortages, as food insecurity continues to rise so will the food prices. This will ultimately lead to malnutrition and obesity. Negative impacts of climate change are likely to reduce the nutritional value of soil forcing farmers to use herbicides and pesticides and exposure to such chemicals poses health risks to these individuals (World Health Organization, n.d).
Climate changes make forests vulnerable to occurrence such as wildfires, climate changes have been projected to make various regions in the US vulnerable to forest fires. It has been recorded that long periods of high temperatures are associated with droughts that contribute to dry conditions that contribute and drive wildfires that are responsible for killing wild animals and destroying natural habitats. Exposure from smoke triggers respiratory and cardiovascular diseases thus causing a hundred deaths annually. Drought is also associated with other hazardous effects to include dust storms and degraded water quality (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d). Degrades air quality has been associated with coccidioidomycosis in areas to include Arizona and California. It has been projected that climate changes are likely to increase the occurrence of wildfires that have major and dire consequences on human health. The U.S. has experienced heavy perception events that have resulted in flooding in various regions. Floods have been labeled as the second most dangerous weather-related hazards. The occurrence of flash floods often results in mass deaths. The effects of floods include an increase in waterborne diseases and water intrusion into buildings, thus resulting in the manifestation of molds later.
The federal and state government recognizes the dire and far-reaching nature of climatic changes consequences. The United States government has developed and implemented policies that help limit the magnitude of the negative effects of climate change (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, n.d). The federal government has instituted countermeasures to include the Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy program that drives the production and usage of clean energy that does not increase the amount of Carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere. Efforts of the Natural Gas STAR program collaborates with businesses to reduce the emission of harmful gases. Effective federal policies are needed to ensure that there are long term reduction measures that curb the emission of greenhouse gases thus increasing climate resilience. The federal court should also be at the forefront of interpreting existing laws as well as responding to lawsuits presented by citizens and communities to seek a solution to the increased production of harmful gases (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, n.d).
States to include Arizona have implemented policies aimed at reducing the production of greenhouse gases by 50% within the next four decades. The state of California has a Vehicle global warming law that requires car manufacturing companies to reduce the emission of gases by 30%, this law came into effect in 2016. The New York state energy plan aims to produce clean energy for the city while observing environmental stewardship (Green, 2019). In 2009, the regional greenhouse gas initiative was implemented with the main aim of reducing the amount of carbon emitted in various states during the production of electricity. States across the US have state-imposed laws aimed at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases with a focus on reducing the occurrence of human-induced climate changes. The democratic party in 2016 pushed for the establishment of policies to curb climate changes.
The majority of states in the U.S have joined the Alliance with a focus on pushing forwards the goals of the Paris Agreement, one of these goals being to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by at least 28% by the year 2025 (Green, 2019). Many states are pushing for the reduction of these gases further, for example, the state of California has set a statewide goal of ensuring neutrality by 2045 (Green, 2019). New Mexico has also established a similar goal of reducing GHC emission by 45% by 2030 (Green, 2019). The state of Nevada has also passed a bill increasing the amount of electricity produced from natural sources to include wind. The State of Minnesota has also passed a bill that proposes the implementation of policies that will push for the production of 100% clean energy in the next five decades. The country as a whole is pushing for improved energy efficiency which is crucial in reducing climate change. States to include Washington have passed a bill aimed at increasing energy efficiency across homes and commercial buildings in the states.
The transport sector in the country is responsible for the largest emission of greenhouse gases, to reduce this emission Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission voted that auto manufacturers should manufacture about 5% of electric cars (Green, 2019). The actions taken by Alliance state members are aimed at reducing the emission of greenhouse gases from various sectors of the economy. The United States government is implementing policies and programs that are aimed at reducing climate changes with far-reaching effects.
It has been collectively agreed by many economists across a political spectrum that the implementation of a market-based approach could go a long way to reduce the emission of harmful gases, every climate strategy should be based on this approach (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, n.d). All the government branches in the United States play an important role in reducing the emission of harmful gases. Congress should address and fund relevant programs aimed at reducing the impact of climate change. For example, the Clean Air Act provides a base for which many economy-wide policies exist, for a market-based approach to climate to work the congress would have to establish new legislations.
Inconclusion, human-induced climate changes have far-reaching impacts on human health. As a result of human activities, greenhouse gases to include Carbon Dioxide have been trapped in the atmosphere thus causing climate changes to include rising temperatures and sea levels as a result of global warming. The effects of climate change have negatively impacted the United States, these negative effects include floods that cause flooding, high temperatures causing wildfires and dust storms. Climate changes account for thousands of deaths across the U.S. Policies have been implemented at the federal and state level to curb climate changes. Future policies could focus on making strategies based on the marketing approach to reduce climate change.
References
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (n.d). Federal Action on Climate. Retrieved from; https://www.c2es.org/content/federal-action-on-climate/
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d). Climate and Health. Retrieved from; https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/precipitation_extremes.htm
Green, C., (2019). 7 Ways U.S. States Are Leading Climate Action. Retrieved from; https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/7-ways-u-s-states-are-leading-climate-action/
Greenberg, E. S., & Page, B. I. (2015). The struggle for democracy.
Patz, J. A., & Frumkin, H. (2016). Climate change and human health. Environmental health: From global to local, 275.
World Health Organization. (n.d). Climate change and human health. Retrieved from; https://www.who.int/globalchange/summary/en/index2.html
References
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
