Running head: CLIMATE CHANGE PATTERN AROUND THE WORLD 1
Climate Change Pattern around the World
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Climate Change Pattern around the World
It is now an accepted fact that the world’s climate is changing at an accelerated rate. Climate change is directly or indirectly affecting a huge number of human issues such as environment, housing, and poverty. However, the major concern is the increase of climate change impacts on public health. Therefore, the paper discusses how climate change will affect human health with specific attention to intense heat, air pollution, and extreme drought and rainfall (Lundgren et al ., 2013).
Extreme heat has led to a variety of heat stress conditions. However, heat stroke is the most severe heat-related condition or disorder affecting many people in the world. It occurs when the human body is not able to regulate its temperature (Lundgren et al ., 2013). Consequently, human beings start to face a speedy rise in body temperature and failure in the sweating mechanism. Studies have shown that low-income populations and outdoor workers have higher risks for heat stroke. As a result, people from developing countries, because of the high rate of poverty, are likely to suffer more from heat stroke than their counterparts in developed countries who have relatively higher income. In addition, due to the high rate of unemployment in developing countries, many people engage in outdoor works, exposing them to higher risks of being affected by heat stroke than those in developed countries (Lundgren et al ., 2013).
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Increased air pollution is another climate change affecting public health. For instance, it is estimated that 146 million Americans live in places with low-quality air standards (Takaro, Knowlton & Balmes, 2013). Exposure to air pollution can lead to chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer that are claiming lives of many people. The emission of harmful greenhouse gasses and high level of allergenic pollens in the air are enhancing the rate of chronic respiratory diseases (Takaro et. al., 2013). The Economic disparity between developed and developing countries is the main reason why many people in poor nations are affected more by chronic respiratory diseases. A significant number of individuals in developing countries has poor access to healthcare services and they are living in crowded places that increase their chances of acquiring chronic respiratory diseases.
In addition, extreme rainfall and drought associated with cardiovascular diseases that affect different people. Excess rainfall leads to flood that causes the development of molds. Molds affect indoor air quality and enhance health problems such as cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, extreme drought causes a wide range of dust storms and flash floods that affect the quality of air, causing cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases affect people in developing countries than in developed countries because the former live in poor conditions with inadequate healthcare services (Takaro et. al., 2013).
With the increased severity of climate change, public health issues such as heat stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases will be worse in the future, especially in developing. Climate changes negatively affect economic growth and development, leading to higher rates of poverty. As a result, many people will not have enough income to take care of their health and they will be subjected to poor living conditions, leading to more heat strokes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in the future (Takaro et. al., 2013).
In order to reduce climate change, its effects, and improve public health, a number of mitigation and response plans have been formulated by various countries and the world as a whole. Enhancing energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emission is one of the strategies that is being embraced with the hope to reduce climate change. The use of renewable energy is also a response plan aimed at mitigating global warming, which is the major cause of climate change. In addition, countries are encouraging the manufacturing of green automobiles to lower air contamination and greenhouse gas productions. This climate change mitigation strategies are plausible, however, they are long term. There is need to incorporate more effective and short-term strategies that will be more effective in reducing the effects of climate change on health (Takaro et. al., 2013).
Therefore, if I were to develop a plan to address climate change issue, I would come up with different plans from the ones currently being used. The current plans are long-term, but I would come up with short-term plans such as effective land use to reduce risk of flooding, heat wave early warning systems for people to take proactive actions, and encouraging proper ventilation in all housing facilities to reduce respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (Takaro et. al., 2013).
References
Lundgren, K., Kuklane, K., Gao, C., & Holmer, I. (2013). Effects of heat stress on working populations when facing climate change. Industrial health , 51 (1), 3-15.
Takaro, T. K., Knowlton, K., & Balmes, J. R. (2013). Climate change and respiratory health: current evidence and knowledge gaps. Expert review of respiratory medicine , 7 (4), 349- 361.
