You and I are doing various things now that adversely affect our planet concerning climate change, pollution, and human health. The deadly extreme weather events across the globe, the devastating hurricanes, flooding, increasing the risk of asthma attacks & respiratory problems, and the spread of diseases carried by ticks, rodents and mosquitoes are all exacerbated by climate change. During these events, the direct death toll is only the tip of the iceberg. Severe temperatures and weather events can negatively impact a wide range of diseases, leading to increased mortality and morbidity.

According to expert studies, it shows that extreme heat can aggravate the risk of: 

• cardiovascular diseases like heart attack & stroke 
• respiratory diseases
• diabetes 
• unintentional injuries, and 
• mental disorders. 

In addition, more recent studies found that around five million deaths per year can be attributable to extreme temperature globally.

Climate change can also indirectly adversely affect our well-being through: 

• deteriorating water quality
• air pollution
• the expanded transmission of infectious diseases, and 
• decrease in crop yields & nutrients. 

For instance, air pollution is responsible for millions of premature deaths every year. Research also shows that reduce in air quality and air pollution is related to an increase in hospital admissions for heart-related problems, kidney, and mental illnesses.

Factors In Climate Changes That Impact Human Health

Extreme heat exposure, reduced air, food, and water quality, population displacement can lead to both mental and physical health consequences, including stress and depression. In addition, factors like below can influence people’s vulnerability to human health effects.

• demography of people’s habitat
• their age 
• health
• income, and 
• ability to access health care facilities and resources

Additionally, a family’s earnings, their housing quality, or their precinct’s emergency management plan are factors that affect that family’s exposure to excessive heat, the degree to which their health is affected by this hazard, and their ability to adapt to impacts of it.

It Is Important To Curb Global Warming To Save Our Health.

It has been stressed on time and again that any increase in global warming will adversely affect human health. Studies have found that heat-related morbidity and mortality are projected to increase in the coming years. In addition, ground-level ozone, a potent air pollutant, will increase when global warming exceeds, resulting in a higher ozone-related mortality load. With the substantial climate change, the world’s population is also aging more. Population aging will intensify the projected mortality burden of temperature and air pollution beneath a warming climate.

Humans Are The Risk Bearers

Almost all of us face the risk of health impacts associated with change in climate. Some individuals, however, face greater risks than other individuals because of variations in: 

• the threats to which they are exposed 
• their sensitivity to these hazards, and 
• their ability to adapt to the changes. 

It is important to remember that the different health impacts identified do not occur in isolation; people can face multiple threats simultaneously, at different stages in their lives, or accumulate throughout their lives. Furthermore, risks may increase as people are exposed to multiple health issues and threats. For example, extreme hot days can lead to heat-related health problems and poor air quality by increasing the chemical reactions that cause smog. In addition, many factors that influence whether a person is exposed to health threats or whether they become unhealthy, such as a person’s individual habits, conditions of living, and access to medical care, can also vary over time.

Role Of Coronavirus In Climate Change

Although otherwise for all of us, the legacy of the Covid-19 response has proven to be a leap forward to a sustainable future and a healthier world. The lockdowns during this global crisis allowed us to witness clean and blue skies worldwide. According to studies, the first nationwide lockdown in China in 2020 sharply reduced the nation’s often-severe air pollution and brought substantial human health benefits in non-Covid deaths. This theatrical shift has delivered us a glimpse of what a healthier world with clean air could be. Although air pollution lessening and its associated health benefits during pandemic times are temporary, going forward, a more sustainable and healthier society will require heightened investment in renewable and clean energy resources, low-carbon infrastructure, climate-friendly lifestyles, and similar eco-friendly resources.

Project Global Cure, along with Humanity Welfare Council, aims to implement and research multidisciplinary approaches to produce relevant knowledge that can be used to advance climate change mitigation and adaptation in a way that fosters health and well-being while protecting vulnerable populations.

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