Public Health and Global Climate Disruption

Patz, Jonathan A.; Hatch, Melissa J.

doi:10.1007/bf03391697

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 97 publications

(98 reference statements)

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“…How much money should the current generation spend to mitigate climate change for the benefit of future generations? [120][121][122][123][124] The claim by future generations against the current generation is partially a function of how bad the outcome might be. 125 Is a life that is saved today worth more than a life that is saved in the future?…”

Section: A D D R E S S I N G C L I M a T E C H A N G E W H I L E P R ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Levy

Patz

2015

Annals of Global Health

343

172

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The environmental and health consequences of climate change, which disproportionately affect low-income countries and poor people in high-income countries, profoundly affect human rights and social justice. Environmental consequences include increased temperature, excess precipitation in some areas and droughts in others, extreme weather events, and increased sea level. These consequences adversely affect agricultural production, access to safe water, and worker productivity, and, by inundating land or making land uninhabitable and uncultivatable, will force many people to become environmental refugees. Adverse health effects caused by climate change include heat-related disorders, vector-borne diseases, foodborne and waterborne diseases, respiratory and allergic disorders, malnutrition, collective violence, and mental health problems. These environmental and health consequences threaten civil and political rights and economic, social, and cultural rights, including rights to life, access to safe food and water, health, security, shelter, and culture. On a national or local level, those people who are most vulnerable to the adverse environmental and health consequences of climate change include poor people, members of minority groups, women, children, older people, people with chronic diseases and disabilities, those residing in areas with a high prevalence of climate-related diseases, and workers exposed to extreme heat or increased weather variability. On a global level, there is much inequity, with low-income countries, which produce the least greenhouse gases (GHGs), being more adversely affected by climate change than high-income countries, which produce substantially higher amounts of GHGs yet are less immediately affected. In addition, low-income countries have far less capability to adapt to climate change than high-income countries. Adaptation and mitigation measures to address climate change needed to protect human society must also be planned to protect human rights, promote social justice, and avoid creating new problems or exacerbating existing problems for vulnerable populations.

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Section: A D D R E S S I N G C L I M a T E C H A N G E W H I L E P R ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Levy

Patz

2015

Annals of Global Health

343

172

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“…In addition to stunting, this review demonstrates the effect of floods on wasting and underweight among children under the age of five years. Effects of floods on nutrition have been highlighted in previous studies [ 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Existing evidence suggests that climate and weather extremes, including floods, are significantly associated with undernutrition in children [ 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of floods on undernutrition among children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

et al. 2022

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Background Weather and climate-related disasters, including floods, impact undernutrition through multiple pathways, including food security, inadequate child care practices, and water and sanitation. This review aimed to provide systematic evidence of the impact of floods on undernutrition in children under five years of age in Low and Middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Scopus for peer-reviewed articles. Popline, WHO Library database (WHOLIS), the International Disaster database (EM-DAT), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UNICEF and Eldis were searched for grey literature articles. Database searches were first conducted in 2016 and updated in 2020. We included English language articles that reported the effect of floods on undernutrition outcomes in children under 5 years of age in LMICs, without limitation to study design and year of publication. The quality of selected studies was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results Of the 5701 articles identified, 14 met our inclusion criteria. The review noted stunting as the most frequently reported significant form of undernutrition in flood-affected areas. Severe and recurrent floods showed the greatest impact on undernutrition. Due to weak and limited evidence, the study is inconclusive on the most significant forms within the short-term and intermediate periods following floods. On the other hand, stunting was noted as the most frequently reported significant form of undernutrition in the long-term period following floods. There was generally little evidence of the effect of floods on micronutrient deficiencies. Factors associated with child undernutrition in the flood-affected areas included age, gender, diarrhoea, maternal and paternal education, maternal age, household size, land ownership and socioeconomic status. Overall, the quality of the evidence was fairly weak, with the main challenge lying in the inability of the studies to establish causal pathways for the observed effects. Conclusions The review suggests clear plans and strategies for preventing and reducing the long-term impact of floods on undernutrition in children under five years. Future research utilising long-term prospective data is indispensable to provide more robust evidence to guide better prevention measures, response decisions and interventions.

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“…Global warming does more than increase average local temperatures. Weather disasters such as extreme drought, flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes are more common as the planet warms (21). The United States had 16 billion-dollar disasters in 2017, tied for the highest number with 2011 (22).…”

Section: Global Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change, Air Pollution, and Physical Inactivity: Is Active Transportation Part of the Solution?

Alessio

Bassett

Bopp

et al. 2021

Medicine &Amp; Science in Sports &Amp; Exercise

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Active transportation is defined as self-propelled, human-powered transportation modes, such as walking and bicycling. In this article, we review the evidence that reliance on gasoline-powered transportation is contributing to global climate change, air pollution, and physical inactivity and that this is harmful to human health. Global climate change poses a major threat to human health and in the future could offset the health gains achieved over the last 100 yr. Based on hundreds of scientific studies, there is strong evidence that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to global climate change. Climate change is associated with increased severity of storms, flooding, rising sea levels, hotter climates, and drought, all leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Along with increases in atmospheric CO 2 , other pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter (e.g., PM 2.5 ) are released by combustion engines and industry, which can lead to pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Also, as car ownership and vehicle miles traveled have increased, the shift toward motorized transport has contributed to physical inactivity. Each of these global challenges has resulted in, or is projected to result in, millions of premature deaths each year. One of the ways that nations can mitigate the health consequences of climate change, air pollution, and chronic diseases is through the use of active transportation. Research indicates that populations that rely heavily on active transportation enjoy better health and increased longevity. In summary, active transportation has tremendous potential to simultaneously address three global public health challenges of the 21st century.

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Public Health and Global Climate Disruption

Cited by 6 publications

References 97 publications

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Impact of floods on undernutrition among children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Climate Change, Air Pollution, and Physical Inactivity: Is Active Transportation Part of the Solution?

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