Climate Change May Be Hazardous To Your Health.
We’ve talked about climate change’s threat to the security and economy of this country, but did you know it’s also making us sick? Yes, climate change is a serious enough threat to public health that the American Lung Association, The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics are among the organizations calling for our government to reduce emissions.[1][2]
In a 2014 survey, 61% of doctors responded that their patients are already being harmed by climate change related maladies, including reactions to severe weather as well as chronic diseases triggered by air pollution and increased allergies.[3]
Over the past three decades, extreme heat has been responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths every year. The European heat wave of 2003 killed nearly 19,000 people in France alone,[4] and heat-related deaths are predicted to increase substantially by the end of the century. The effects of higher temperatures on food supplies could cause an estimated 500,000 more deaths by 2050, according to an Oxford University study.[5]
The increased tick, mosquito and insect populations spawned by rising temperatures have led to more widespread transmission of illnesses such as Zika, Lyme, West Nile, Hantavirus, Dengue Fever and Chikungunya.[6] Further warming means the range of disease-carrying mosquitoes could expand another 13 percent by 2061, according to the World Health Organization, putting hundreds of millions more people at risk.[7]
The coal, gas and oil responsible for climate change also happen to be our most dangerous sources of air pollution. Particles released by burning these fossil fuels are linked to increased rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease and premature death.[8]
By causing plants to grow faster and produce more pollen, climate change is also making allergies worse. It is estimated that increased temperatures have extended allergy season up to 21 days a year.[9]
Left unchecked, the effects of climate change are a threat to American families. But, there is a solution. By pricing carbon and encouraging clean energy, we can fuel our country without sacrificing our health. Stay tuned and learn more at pricecarbon.org
[1] “A Declaration on Climate Change and Health”
[2]American Medical Association, “Confronting health issues of climate change,” April 4, 2011.
[3]National Medical Association and George Mason University, “Key Findings of a National Medical Association Physician Survey.” June 25, 2014.
[4] France 24, “France takes steps to avoid repeat of deadly 2003 heat wave.” July 1, 2015.
[5] Whitney McFerron, “Climate change could kill half a million by 2050,” Bloomberg. March 2, 2016.
[6] World Health Organization, “Climate change and vector borne diseases: A regional analysis,” 2000.
[7]Andrew Monaghan, et al. “The potential impacts of 21st century climatic and population changes on human exposure to the virus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti,” Climatic Change, 2016
[8] “A Declaration on Climate Change and Health”
[9] Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “Extreme Allergies and Climate Change,” 2010.