Climate change and respiratory disease: European Respiratory Society position statement

Abstract

Climate change will affect individuals with pre-existing respiratory disease, but the extent of the effect remains unclear.The present position statement was developed on behalf of the European Respiratory Society in order to identify areas of concern arising from climate change for individuals with respiratory disease, healthcare workers in the respiratory sector and policy makers. The statement was developed following a 2-day workshop held in Leuven (Belgium) in March 2008.Key areas of concern for the respiratory community arising from climate change are discussed and recommendations made to address gaps in knowledge. The most important recommendation was the development of more accurate predictive models for predicting the impact of climate change on respiratory health.Respiratory healthcare workers also have an advocatory role in persuading governments and the European Union to maintain awareness and appropriate actions with respect to climate change, and these areas are also discussed in the position statement.

Climate change and respiratory diseases

“…Respiratory diseases similarly increase among children during heat waves [14]. Extreme heat and high humidity trigger asthma symptoms [4]. Cyclones have also been related to asthma.…”

“…Particulate matter is a collective term for a complex, heterogeneous mixture of particulate matter with different sizes and chemical compositions, mixes of various compounds originating from different sources (such as soot particles resulting from incomplete combustion), organic compounds, inorganic salts, resuspended or wind-blown dust, sea salt, fly ash, etc. Given the current trends in climate change and related phenomena (precipitation scavenging dry deposition and resuspension, increasing background concentrations, wildfires and sandstorms, and perturbed ventilation and increased confinement indoors) a worsening of air quality is expected [4].…”

“…Climate change represents a massive direct threat to respiratory health by promoting or aggravating respiratory diseases or indirectly by increasing exposure to risk factors for respiratory diseases [4]. Climate affects weather, air and water quality, local and national food supplies, economics and many other critical health determinants.…”

“…Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is probably due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas (namely carbon dioxide, methane and the nitrous oxides) concentrations [1]. Projections of future greenhouse gas emissions indicate a worsening of the situation with between a 1.1 and 6.4uC increase in the mean temperature by the end of the 21st century [1].Climate change represents a massive direct threat to respiratory health by promoting or aggravating respiratory diseases or indirectly by increasing exposure to risk factors for respiratory diseases [4]. Climate affects weather, air and water quality, local and national food supplies, economics and many other critical health determinants.…”

Climate change and health: a challenge for epidemiology and public health

“…Physicians and professionals involved in public health, including epidemiologists, could play an important role in active support of change in communities and individual policies and behaviors, advocacy is the term for some, primary prevention for others. The European Respiratory Society provided a recent statement on the issue (Ayres et al 2009), as a good example of advocacy activity. It is obvious that immediate governmental action is required to change the future of the planet, but action by healthcare professionals at an individual level may bring about significant incremental effects.…”