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Climate Change and Health

Climate Change and Health. Regional Coordination and Support for the EU-CA Enhanced Regional Cooperation on Environment and Water (WECOOP) Training 18-19 June, 2013 – Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Juan Palerm, PhD. “Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21 st Century”

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Climate Change and Health

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  1. Climate Change and Health Regional Coordination and Support for the EU-CA Enhanced Regional Cooperation on Environment and Water (WECOOP) Training 18-19 June, 2013 – Dushanbe, Tajikistan Juan Palerm, PhD

  2. “Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st Century” Lancet and UCL Institute for Global Health Commission (2009) The Lancet, 373:1693-733

  3. World Preservation Foundation, 2010 The Times of India, 2012 Liz Hempel, 2011

  4. Exacerbating global health inequities Pathways and climate change Global Climate Change Source: Adapted from Hanna (2011)

  5. Extreme air temperatures and air pollution • Heat waves • Direct contributor to deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory disease • Increase levels of ozone and other air pollutants and aeroallergens • Effects of 1ºC  in temperature on ozone and particulate levels may increase global deaths from air pollution by over 20,000 per year (Jacobson, 2008) • Cold spells

  6. Floods and droughts • ≈90% burden of diarrhoeal disease attributed to lack of safe water and sanitation - reductions in reliability of freshwater will increase this hazard. (WHO, 2008) • Glacier retreat and evaporation of surface waters • Reduced availability of fresh water • Floods: contamination of freshwater supplies and opportunities for breeding of disease carrying insects • Drought: concentration of water pollutants

  7. Changing patterns of infection • Malaria distributions strongly affected by climate • Endemic in Tajikistan • Any disease linked to insects, snails and other cold-blooded animals can be affected by climate change • E.g. schistosomiasis; Lyme disease; tick-borne encephalitis, Salmonella

  8. Climate change and malaria Source: Rogers and Randolph (2000)

  9. Climate-driven migration • Stress on health services of recipient countries • Changes in adaptive capacity • Migration prompts illness and premature death: • Stress and exhaustion • Lack of safe water and sanitation • Limited access to health services • New diseases brought into recipient countries World Bank (2009)

  10. Other effects of climate change on health • Agriculture: food security and malnutrition • Potential increase of natural disasters • Damage/destruction of infrastructure • Disruption of energy supply

  11. Climate change and health in CA • Health identified as a priority sector for adaptation in in UNFCCC National Communications for all CA countries • Extreme weather events (e.g. floods and droughts) are the most immediate health risks: they will become more intense and frequent

  12. Adaptation options

  13. Information and knowledge • Health vulnerability assessments • Strengthening data collection and analysis • Awareness raising • Develop weather forecasting and early warning systems, reaching the most exposed and vulnerable

  14. Health Vulnerability Assessments

  15. Heat waves • Urban planning/architecture, energy and transport policies • Health action plans: • Health alerts; Heat Warning Systems (HWS) • Strategies to reduce exposure • Plans to provide health care, social services, infrastructure • Real-time surveillance, evaluation and monitoring • Health service preparedness • Integration into other sectors (e.g. working environments) Menneet al (2008); Hanna (2011); World Bank (2009)

  16. Floods Adapted from Menneet al (2008)

  17. Vector-borne diseases • Early detection of outbreaks / improved surveillance • Revise/strengthen vector-control measures • Capacity building of health professionals • new diseases / potential increased incidence of known diseases • Awareness raising campaigns • Ensure adequate logistics and supplies • e.g. vaccines, pharmaceuticals • Inter-sectoral coordination

  18. Respiratory diseases • Reducing exposure to air pollutants • Fixed and mobile sources • Transport policies • Air quality management • Awareness raising and health warnings • Response plans (e.g. industry, schools) • Air quality monitoring • Tackling indoor air pollution (heavy reliance on wood and coal): clean fuels, energy efficiency

  19. Climate-proofing of infrastructure • Appropriate design / building materials • Locate outside vulnerable areas • Design/ build climate-proof water facilities • to prevent flooding and contamination of water supply • Limit settlements in flood plains • Plan for backup power capacity • Maximise natural ventilation Source: ADB (2012)

  20. Mitigation in the health sector • Mitigation opportunities in health care facilities: • Energy efficiency in buildings • On-site energy generation and storage • Appropriate use of natural ventilation and natural daylight • On-site rainwater capture and treatment • Waste/sewage treatment • Materials procurement and waste reduction/management strategies • Reduction, recapture/reuse of inhaled anaesthetics Adapted from: WHO (n/d a)

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