ESG Theme of the month: It’s not just the flu season we need to worry about…
How does climate change affect our health? Although climate change does not cause disease on its own, it has a huge indirect impact on our well-being and health, as rising temperatures, humidity, and precipitation greatly influence the spread of pathogens. In the case of malaria, a study by the World Health Organization confirms that changes in the weather phenomena listed above – even in an optimistic scenario – will cause 60,000 more cases by 2030, despite the fact that numerous measures targeting the disease are already in place.
Climate change and the resulting increase in heat waves can also be dangerous. Those born in 2014 will experience 36 times more heat waves in their lifetime than those born in 1960. This is not only stressful for the body, but also has social repercussions, meaning that certain groups are much more vulnerable than others: for example, the elderly, women, children, pregnant women, and members of poor communities. What’s more, heat waves can exacerbate pre-existing conditions unrelated to climate change, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma (WHO).
Heat-related deaths are now ranked fifth among annual mortality risk factors worldwide, ahead of drug use, ozone pollution, and leukemia-related deaths. Among the top four factors, the number of road accidents and malaria cases can also be linked to heat, and climate change-induced temperature changes have a negative impact on these as well.
Reducing emissions would not only reduce the number of deaths, but also the number of people requiring hospital care, which would bring financial benefits and be a long-term investment in society. In addition, prevention has benefits in other areas: the positive effects of exercise and a healthy diet are measurable, and we could save or prolong the lives of many people if we shifted towards a plant-based diet and placed greater emphasis on physical activity, even as an alternative to transportation (e.g., cycling), which would also reduce air pollution.
We have already mentioned the increased number of malaria cases, but the above also applies to other vector-borne diseases (diseases spread by various animals). Similar to malaria, dengue and chikungunya fever, Zika virus, yellow fever, and many other diseases of this type are affected by climate change, with more and more places becoming suitable for mosquitoes that spread these diseases. This is evidenced by the prediction that by 2070, 3.6 billion more people will be at direct risk of malaria and dengue fever than in the period 1990-1999. Before we think that this does not affect us, climate change will also greatly alter the affected areas, and these tropical diseases may spread to France, Bulgaria, Germany, the eastern part of the United States, and Hungary.
It is also worth mentioning antibiotic resistance, which is also linked to climate and temperature change. As temperatures rise, bacteria become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and spread more rapidly to other parts of the world where they were not previously found. Here, too, ominous speculation is likely: by the middle of the 21st century, millions of people worldwide will die each year as a result of antibiotic resistance.
Overall, climate change is not only an environmental challenge, but also an increasingly serious health challenge. Its effects are already being felt, and unless decisive action is taken, future generations will face even greater risks.
Sources:
This article was written using Greta Thunberg’s book Climate Book (pages 173–190).
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