• Latest
  • Trending

Impact Of Climate Change On Health

June 15, 2018
Tamil Nadu Looks Headed For A Non-Traditional Poll

Tamil Nadu Looks Headed For A Non-Traditional Poll

February 27, 2021

Vivocom’s Group Game Changer – Multi-Billion Sand Project Secured

February 27, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT

Hong Kong Productivity Council Theme of the Year 2021: “Make Smart Smarter”

February 27, 2021
Congress Has A History Of Many Splits From Parent Organisation

Congress Has A History Of Many Splits From Parent Organisation

February 27, 2021

Govt Has No Clues On Dealing With Impact Of Reverse Migration

February 27, 2021

Government Facilities Not To Increase In Second Stage Of Vaccination

February 27, 2021

Social Violence Is Adding To Political Violence In West Bengal

February 27, 2021

Deep Sea Fishing Issue Damages Image Of LDF In Kerala On Poll Eve

February 27, 2021

President Biden Is Still Following Old Foreign Policy In Middle East

February 27, 2021

Crown Prince directed Khashoggi murder: US report

February 26, 2021
Opposition Parties Have To Look At Assembly Poll As Fight For Survival

Opposition Parties Have To Look At Assembly Poll As Fight For Survival

February 26, 2021 - Updated on February 27, 2021
Modi Government Becomes Gatekeeper Of Ditigal Content

Modi Government Becomes Gatekeeper Of Ditigal Content

February 26, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
Sunday, February 28, 2021
No Result
View All Result
IPA Newspack
No Result
View All Result
IPA Newspack
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home IPA Service

Impact Of Climate Change On Health

IPA Staff by IPA Staff
June 15, 2018
in IPA Service, Opinion
4 min read
0
198
SHARES
549
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

RelatedArticles

Tamil Nadu Looks Headed For A Non-Traditional Poll

Congress Has A History Of Many Splits From Parent Organisation

Govt Has No Clues On Dealing With Impact Of Reverse Migration

Dr Arun Mitra

 

Climate Change implies significant variations in temperature, wind patterns and precipitation that may occur in cycles over decades, hundreds, thousands and millions of years; sometimes these changes may be random occurrences. These result in rain or hail, snowfall or extreme weather events like thunderstorms, cyclones, tornados etc. We have witnessed such events in much greater frequency in recent years.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

According to Thomas Stocker, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I, “in the 20th century, scientists began to detect that the Earth was warming up abnormally—In the first decade of the new millennium the common people began to feel the effects. Since the 1950s atmosphere and oceans have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, sea level has risen and the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased to a level unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years”. This is attributed to be the result of human activity.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

Currently Global Warming is being caused by Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) resulting from mainly industrial development and urbanization, agriculture and changes in land-use patterns. Added to this is excess of cutting of trees resulting in soil erosion with much serious impact on the mountain ranges and coastal regions. Different gasses have different Global Warming Potential (GWP) which means how much damage they cause to the environment. Carbon dioxide (CO2) has GWP of 1; Methane – GWP of 21 and Nitrous oxide – GWP of 310.

 

The effects have been felt in India as well. There was country-wde drought in 2002. There was severe drought in 2009 as well. The year 2010 was one of warmest. In the year 2013 there were extreme rainfall events in Uttarakhand. We have seen mountains becoming barren due to large scale cutting of trees. This is resulting in hills becoming weak.

 

Climate and weather have always had a powerful impact on human health and well-being. Global climate change is a newer challenge to ongoing efforts to protect human health. In the past few years there has been increased incidence of mosquitoes breeding Malaria, Dengue and Yellow Fever. Increase in temperature by 2-3º C would increase the number of people who, in climatic terms, are at risk of malaria by around 3-5 %, which means several hundred million people globally. According to World Health Report 2002, climate change was estimated to be responsible in 2000 for approximately 2.4% of worldwide diarrhea cases, and 6% of malaria in some middle-income countries.

 

Changes in atmosphere, coupled with vehicular and industrial emissions, lead to smog and poisonous gases which cause difficulty for those with cardio vascular disease, respiratory disorders as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and allergy problems. Similarly water pollution related diseases are on the increase. There is poor quality of drinking water because water resources are threatened by drought, leading to bacterial, viral, Protozoal and Parasitic diseases.

 

As a result of rising sea levels and flooding of coastal areas, there occurs increase in population density due to migration of population to safe areas. People have to live in make shift camps in poor, unhygienic living conditions, which cause several infectious diseases. Children lose their school. There may be violence for want of food and other basic amenities. This may lead to psycho trauma and post traumatic stress disorder.

 

Extreme changes in climate may occur in the event of nuclear fallout. A study conducted by Dr Ira Helfand, MD, and Alan Robock et al on the climatic consequences of a regional nuclear war shows that even a “limited” nuclear conflict, involving as few as 100 Hiroshima-sized bombs, would have global implications with significant effects on weather patterns throughout the world. Debris injected into the atmosphere from the explosions and resulting fires would produce an average surface cooling of -1.25ºC that would last for several years. Because of fall in temperature there would occur crop failures. This would result in serious food shortage. This could put the lives of over 2 billion people at risk.

 

Human-induced depletion of stratospheric ozone is another issue affecting human health. Stratospheric ozone absorbs much of the incoming solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), especially the biologically more damaging, shorter-wavelength, UVR. The solar ultraviolet radiation may cause diseases of skin like Malignant Melanoma, Non-Melanocytic Skin Cancer – Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Sunburn, Chronic Sun Damage, Photo dermatoses etc. They may affect our eyes in the form of acute photo keratitis and photo conjunctivitis, climatic droplet keratopathy, pterygium, cancer of the cornea and conjunctiva, cataract, Uveal melanoma, acute solar retinopathy and macular degeneration

 

There is also negative impact on immunity. There may occur suppression of cell mediated immunity, Increased susceptibility to infection, impairment of prophylactic immunization and activation of latent virus infection. Climate changes also cause mutations leading to development of new types of viruses. These produce new types of diseases.

 

The climate change leads to altered general well-being, disturbed sleep/wake cycles, Seasonal affective disorder and disturbance in mood. The number of heat stroke related diseases is on rise during summer. Similarly due to erratic winter there is detrimental effect on human health.

 

The health effects of climate change also depend on other relevant factors like age and gender, socio economic condition, geographic locations — already cold/warm areas/temperate regions, population density, sanitation and healthcare, nutrition, preexisting diseases, public healthcare system, literacy, infrastructure. People who are socially, economically, culturally, politically, institutionally, or otherwise marginalized are especially vulnerable to climate change.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

There is urgent need to take steps to prevent climate change to save health. These may include policy making and strategies to reduce the risks. There is need to develop better infrastructure to combat the negative effect of climate change. A holistic approach is needed to health care in the form of better nutrition, job opportunities, housing, shelter, clean water etc. Also important are changes in life style, equity, seriousness to the problem, international agreements and people’s campaigns.

 

“We have the means to limit climate change,” said R. K. Pachauri – former Chair of the IPCC. “The solutions are many and allow for continued economic and human development. All we need is the will to change, which we trust will be motivated by knowledge and an understanding of the science of climate change.” (IPA Service)

The post Impact Of Climate Change On Health appeared first on Newspack by India Press Agency.

IPA Newspack

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

It’s Time To Cease The Ceasefire

Next Post

Rebooting the Kashmir Policy

IPA Staff

IPA Staff

Related Posts

Tamil Nadu Looks Headed For A Non-Traditional Poll
IPA Service

Tamil Nadu Looks Headed For A Non-Traditional Poll

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
Congress Has A History Of Many Splits From Parent Organisation
IPA Service

Congress Has A History Of Many Splits From Parent Organisation

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
IPA Service

Govt Has No Clues On Dealing With Impact Of Reverse Migration

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
IPA Service

Government Facilities Not To Increase In Second Stage Of Vaccination

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
IPA Service

Social Violence Is Adding To Political Violence In West Bengal

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
IPA Service

Deep Sea Fishing Issue Damages Image Of LDF In Kerala On Poll Eve

by IPA Staff
February 27, 2021
Load More
Next Post

Rebooting the Kashmir Policy

Leave a Reply

Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
avatar
This comment form is under antispam protection
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
avatar
This comment form is under antispam protection
  Subscribe  
Notify of

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended

Modi Government’s Governance During Pandemic Is A Disaster

Modi Govt Has Shown Utmost Callousness To Tackle The Plight Of Workers

2 months ago

Ongc, Oil Explore India’s New Petro Reserves

2 years ago
Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Contact

India Press Agency D-34, Basement, Gulmohar Park, Delhi - 110049 Gautam Nagar, New Delhi
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

About Us

IPA Newspack

IPA Intelligence Unit is a specialist service of India Press Agency (IPA), one of the oldest news agencies of India.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact

© 2020 India Press Agency - Latest Breaking news and Opinion IPA Media Group | Arabian Post

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Politics
  • World
  • Business
  • Science
  • National
  • Entertainment
  • Gaming
  • Movie
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Tech
  • Health
  • Food

© 2020 India Press Agency - Latest Breaking news and Opinion IPA Media Group | Arabian Post

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz