The Climate Change Threat To Health

250,000 deaths a year from climate change is a 'conservative estimate,' research says

Jen Christensen, January 16, 2019 (CNN)

“Climate change could ‘halt and reverse’ progress made in human health over the last century…[and] lead to many more deaths than the 250,000 a year the World Health Organization predicted [from malaria, diarrhea, heat stress and malnutrition between 2030 and 2050] just five years ago…[Researchers said] climate change-related food shortages alone [could cause] a net increase of 529,000 adult deaths by 2050…[It could also] force 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030 and poverty makes people more vulnerable to health problems…The depletion of freshwater resources, the unprecedented biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, overfishing, pollution, deforestation and the spread of invasive species, that are related to climate change, but are environmental problems on their own, all compound these public health threats…

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…[Doctors say the medical profession has a responsibility to increase efforts] to safeguard health in the face of these dramatic trends, all of which are caused by human activities related to patterns of economic activity…[and] encourage their organizations to reduce their carbon footprint…[P]hysicians can also pressure politicians to create better climate change-oriented public policy and put pressure on groups to use financial divestment as a tool…[One of the researchers said future] generations will, no doubt, look back at the missed opportunities for progress towards a healthy, sustainable economy and question why decisive action wasn't taken sooner…” click here for more

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