Global health and climate change: moving from denial and catastrophic fatalism to positive action

Abstract

The health effects of climate change have had relatively little attention from climate scientists and governments. Climate change will be a major threat to population health in the current century through its potential effects on communicable disease, heat stress, food and water security, extreme weather events, vulnerable shelter and population migration. This paper addresses three health-sector strategies to manage the health effects of climate change-promotion of mitigation, tackling the pathways that lead to ill-health and strengthening health systems. Mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is affordable, and low-carbon technologies are available now or will be in the near future. Pathways to ill-health can be managed through better information, poverty reduction, technological innovation, social and cultural change and greater coordination of national and international institutions. Strengthening health systems requires increased investment in order to provide effective public health responses to climate-induced threats to health, equitable treatment of illness, promotion of lowcarbon lifestyles and renewable energy solutions within health facilities. Mitigation and adaptation strategies will produce substantial benefits for health, such as reductions in obesity and heart disease, diabetes, stress and depression, pneumonia and asthma, as well as potential cost savings within the health sector. The case for mitigating climate change by reducing GHGs is overwhelming. The need to build population resilience to the global health threat from already unavoidable climate change is real and urgent. Action must not be delayed by contrarians, nor by catastrophic fatalists who say it is all too late.

Mental health and global well-being

“…Much has been written about the impacts of climate change on health and mental health and well-being (Fritze et al, 2008;Costello et al, 2009Costello et al, , 2011Doherty and Clayton, 2011) and on the co-benefits of climate mitigation and health policies (Haines et al, 2009). For example, moves towards lower-carbon-emission motor vehicles, and increased active travel with less use of motor vehicles in London and Delhi improve health by increasing physical activity (thus reducing disability adjusted life years) at the same time as reducing CO 2 emissions (Woodcock Mental health and global well-being i151 et al, 2009).…”

Coordination and health sector adaptation to climate change in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

“…As a result of climate change, precipitation patterns are already changing and impacting on freshwater availability (WHO 2015), which has both direct and indirect impacts on human health (Costello et al 2011). As examples, changing precipitation patterns can directly impact the spread of infectious disease, and more intense rainfall combined with outdated storm-water drainage systems can lead to higher levels of vector-and waterborne diseases (e.g., USFS 2011, Rasul 2014).…”

Reducing the Silent Burden of Impaired Mental Health

“…Thus, there is a greater need for an integrated and more systemic approach to invest in mental capital by public and private sectors. This becomes increasingly urgent because there will be a demand to cope with the adaptation and consequences of water insecurity, food insecurity, and climate change (Costello, Maslin, Mintgomery, Johnson, & Ekins, 2011).…”