Good health requires clean water and air, sufficient food, adequate shelter and sanitation and freedom from disease*. 

The changing climate is having profound affects:

Extreme temperatures are responsible for heat waves and exacerbate poor air quality, which contribute directly to deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory disease.  High temperatures also increase pollen and other aeroallergens that trigger asthma.

More variable precipitation is causing floods and droughts increasing the risk of contaminated water.  Lack of availability of fresh water increases the risk of diarrhoeal disease.  Water scarcity causes droughts and famine, and flooding contaminates freshwater supplies creating opportunities for breeding of disease carrying insects, such as mosquitoes, which are responsible for the transmission of malaria and dengue.

Changing temperatures and precipitation patterns are decreasing crop yields in many developing countries resulting in malnutrition increasing the severity of infectious and chronic diseases. 

Changing climate patterns are increasing the risk of epidemics by providing new habitats for the animal and insect vectors of disease.  Epidemics are increasingly occurring in regions that may have hitherto been unaffected.

The severity of flooding and extreme weather events is increasing the risk to lives, livelihoods, homes, communities, and the social infrastructure on which we depend.  These socio-economic disruptions are increasing the risk of food and water security, displacement and ultimately conflict.  These all contribute to greater health risks.

 Most of the effects of climate change are already occurring now.  In the long term, mitigation strategies may slow change, but in the short-term we must adapt to survive.  Health and wellbeing are the human face of climate change.  Whether the climate reduces crop yields or increases extreme weather events, the impact ultimately manifests itself in health impacts.  So what can we do?

We need early warning of increased risk

If we know that the risk of a heat wave is high, medical facilities can be put on alert to respond to increased numbers of patients with cardiovascular problems.  Increased awareness of the risks can elicit behavioural changes amongst the population at risk – better surveillance of family and community members at risk, particularly those that are socially isolated; ensure people drink enough water to remain hydrated, homes and shelters are properly ventilated, and any prescription medications are taken in time.

Food and water shortages can be predicted.  We need to take advantage of advances in seasonal and interannual climate prediction to use climate outlooks to prepare for food and water shortages.  Malnutrition and subsequent adverse health effects can be avoided if food aid is in place in time.

Epidemic risks can be predicted.  Advances in our knowledge of the life-cycle of infectious diseases can be used to identify populations at risk in advance of disease outbreaks.  We can use this information to target medical interventions based on risk rather reacting to observed epidemics.  Early intervention could prevent disease outbreaks.

Safe Shelters

Whether societies are responding to heat waves, extreme cold, severe flooding or a vector-borne disease, adequate shelter is essential. 
Many people live in marginal areas likely to be inundated in floods or in poor housing that provides inadequate protection against extreme heat or cold. Communities face different risks.  One of Bangladesh’s greatest risks is flooding from tropical cyclones.  They have responded by creating community shelters that protect the population and their livestock from rising flood waters. However, there are not enough of these shelters.

In Europe and the Americas, the risk from heat waves can be mitigated by providing air-conditioned facilities for the elderly and other vulnerable members of the community so that at least part of the day is spent without heat-stress. Mobility of the elderly is a problem in accessing heat stress shelters. 

Bed nets create a safe shelter for people exposed to mosquitoes and may significantly reduce the risk of exposure to malaria and dengue.  To be effective, these must be installed and used properly.

Public Education

If communities are to protect themselves, knowledge of the changing health risks due to the climate is essential.

Information must reach vulnerable populations and the message must be linked to actions that can be taken by a community.  It is not sufficient to warn, if there is no way to respond to the warning.  Telling people to seek shelter from a pending flood isn’t much help if there is no shelter. 

Information must also be timely and specific.  People are more likely to heed warnings and take action about something that is likely to occur in the immediate future.  The message must be culturally specific also, tailored to the way particular communities respond, and delivered in local languages and through images with which people can identify.