Impact of Climate Change on Health

Climate Change has a significant and wide range of impacts on human health, affecting both physical and mental well-being. It can have several negative effects on human health including water and food-related illnesses, respiratory and heart diseases, poor mental health, injuries and even death. Climate change can also lead to increased frequency of extreme weather events like flooding and extreme heat, increased food and water scarcity, and economic loss that often leads to human migration and conflict.

In this article, we will study climate change, its impact on health, the COP28 UAE declaration on climate and health, the Indian Government initiative and some mitigating measures.

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is defined as the long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns and its effects on Earth’s climate system. It is mainly caused by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to the warming of the planet. Climate change has wide-ranging impacts, including rising sea-level, more frequent and intense extreme weather events like heat waves or cold waves, flood and drought, changes in precipitation patterns, and disruptions to ecosystems. It can affect our health, ability to grow food, housing, safety and work. 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed by the United Nations in 1988 to periodically assess the scientific, technical, and socio-economic aspects of climate change. It examines potential risks and impacts, and provides strategies for mitigation and adaptation. The IPCC has more than 196 member countries and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. India is a contributing member of the IPCC.

Impact of Climate Change on Health

The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that climate risks are emerging faster and will become more severe than previously expected. It also concluded that it will be more challenging to adapt with increased global heating. The average temperature of the Earth’s surface is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s (before the industrial revolution). The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record. Climate change affects people’s health in many ways including:

• by changing the frequency and severity of health problems.
• by creating new or unexpected health diseases or problems in people or places where they were absent earlier.

The extent to which a person is vulnerable to climate change depends on three main factors:

• Duration of Exposure to the pollutant.
• Sensitivity of the individual, as some people are more sensitive due to factor such as age and long term illness.
• Adaptability to the changing weather conditions. A person’s ability to adapt may depend upon their income, age, living situation, access to health care, and many other factors.

Various impact of climate change on health includes respiratory and heart diseases, pest-related diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile Virus, water- and food-related illnesses, and injuries and deaths. Climate change has also been linked to increases in violent crime and overall poor mental health.

• Urban Heat Islands: Urban areas with high rise buildings and minimal greenery become hotter than surrounding areas. It intensifies the impacts of heatwaves like dehydration and heatstroke.
• Extreme Weather Events: Increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves, floods can lead to injuries, displacement, and disruption of healthcare services.
• Mental Health Impacts: Climate change can also contribute to mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Climate-related natural disasters can be traumatic, especially for children.
• Increased Sickness and Deaths: Extreme weather events, like the record heat waves in India in 2023, directly contribute to higher rates of illness and mortality.
• Heat-related Illnesses: Rising temperature contribute to more frequent and severe heatwaves. Long exposure to extreme heat can result in heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke, dehydration, and heat exhaustion that increases the morbidity and mortality.
• Vector Borne Diseases: Infectious diseases whose transmission is impacted by climate change include, for example, vector-borne diseases like dengue fever, malaria, tick-borne diseases, leishmaniasis, zika fever, chikungunya and Ebola
• Air Pollution: Climate change increase air pollution. It can cause cardiovascular problems and respiratory conditions like COPD.
• Food shortages and food insecurity: Climate change affects the production of food and its distribution. It leads to food insecuirty and problem of malnutrition, particularly in vulnerable communities like low income communities.
• Migration and displacement: Climate change causes rise in sea levels, frequent and extreme weather events which can force communities to migrate. It can result in increase in crime rate and violence.

COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health

The COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health was signed by 123 countries. It is non binding declaration that aims to put health at the center of climate action and accelerate the development of climate-resilient, sustainable, and equitable health systems. The 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) has three core themes:

• Phasing out fossil fuels
• Building climate-resilient societies
• Investing in climate solutions.

The other areas covered include:

• For the first time, countries agreed on the need to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner to achieve net zero by 2050.
• Triple the capacity of renewable energy like wind and solar power, and to double the rate of energy efficiency improvements, both by 2030.
• Double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements from around 2% to over 4% every year until 2030.
• Accelerate low- and zero-emission technologies like carbon capture and storage.
• Strengthening policies to maximise health benefits from climate actions and prevent worsening impacts by working towards inclusive partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and vulnerable populations.
• Identifying global solutions for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees
• Accelerating the green transition.
• Reduce cooling-related emissions across all sectors by at least 68% globally relative to 2022 levels by 2050
• Enhancing adaptive capabilities, and minimizing vulnerability for sustainable development.

Indian Government Initiatives on Climate

The government has taken many steps to address the issue of climate change and its impact on health. These are as follows:

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY): Launched in 2018, it was aimed at providing universal healthcare coverage to the economically weaker sections. It works toward reducing poverty, boosting productivity, and enhancing social justice.
• National Health Mission (NHM): It aims to achieve universal access to equitable, affordable & quality health care services to all and strengthens the healthcare system in urban and rural areas.
• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): It was launched in 2008 and identified 8 core national missions including water management, solar energy, sustainable agriculture, sustainable habitats, greening initiatives etc to combat climate change.
• Early warning Alerts: Early warning system has been integrated with health sector: Heatwave (March-July), Cold Wave (Dec-Jan) forecasts and Flood alerts from IMD to States. Authorities can enhance preparedness and response measures, ensuring a more resilient healthcare system in the face of climate-related challenges.
• Paris Agreement: Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 that aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and ideally to 1.5°C. India is participant to the agreement and it covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. India’s goals include:

1. Achieving net zero emissions by 2070
2. Meeting 50% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030
3. Decreasing projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030
4. Increasing non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030
5. Reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 from 2005 levels

Image Source: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Key Facts From WHO on Climate Change

The facts are as follows:

• Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity.
• Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could save about a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 through reductions in air pollution alone.
• Avoiding the worst climate impacts could help prevent 250,000 additional climate-related deaths per year from 2030 to 2050, mainly from Malnutrition, Malaria, Diarrhoea and Heat Stress.
• The value of health gains from reducing carbon emissions would be approximately double the global cost of implementing carbon mitigation measures.
• Over 90 per cent of people breathe unhealthy levels of air pollution, largely resulting from burning fossil fuels driving climate change. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels caused $2.9 trillion in health and economic costs, about $8 billion a day.
• Transportation produces around 20 per cent of global carbon emissions. Alternatives like walking and cycling are not only green but also offer major health benefits, such as reducing the risk of many chronic health conditions and improving mental health.

Some Ways to Mitigate the Health Impacts of Climate Change

Some ways to mitigate the health impacts of climate change are:

• Adapt to the changing climate conditions by preparing in advance for the extreme weather events, adapt our homes, store food in advance.
• Cutting down emissions by switching energy systems from fossil fuels to renewables like solar or wind.
• Build better, more climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems.
• Work towards capacity building and cross sector collaboration.
• Develop and implement health policies in partnership with major health agencies, health professionals and civil society.
• Assess health vulnerabilities and develop health plans by integrating them with climate risk and raise awareness.
• Coordinating with international partners for research, funding and effective management of health and climate initiatives.

FAQs on Impact of Climate Change on Health

1. What are the health effects of climate change in India?

Health effects of climate change in India includes heat related illness such as heatstroke and dehydration, changes in disease patterns, and heightened risks of waterborne diseases due to extreme weather events.

2. How do greenhouse gases affect human health?

Greenhouse gases is a major contributor to climate change. It directly target the human respiratory system causing bronchitis and asthma. Some affect the central nervous system and the immune system while others are reported to be carcinogenic and even cause death

3. How does climate change affect human mental health?

Increased frequency of disasters with climate change can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, and depression. Changes in climate and global warming may require population to migrate, which can lead to stress.

4. What diseases are caused by climate change?

Climate change contributes to the spread of infectious diseases, such as anaplasmosis, anthrax, cryptosporidiosis, dengue, ehrlichiosis, and giardiasis.

5. What are the 5 main causes of climate change?

Climate change can be caused by both natural and man made causes. The main cause of climate change are greenhouse gas emission, deforestation, volcanic activity, industrial and vehicle emission and farming livestock.