Lecture 4 Flashcards
What is a major health risk associated with global environmental change?
A. Improved air quality
B. Decreased food security
C. Reduced disease transmission
D. Lower temperatures
B. Decreased food security
Explanation: Global environmental changes, such as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, can reduce crop yields and food availability, contributing to food insecurity
Which country is the most vulnerable to sea-level rise?
A. Australia
B. Maldives
C. Canada
D. Germany
B. Maldives
Explanation: The Maldives, as the flattest country on Earth, is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels, which threaten to inundate most of its land area by the end of the century
Which factor is most responsible for rising Vibrio infections?
A. Decreased human-wildlife interactions
B. Rising sea surface temperatures
C. Urbanization
D. Lower global CO2 levels
B. Rising sea surface temperatures
Explanation: Warmer and low-salinity seawater conditions are ideal for Vibrio growth, as documented during heatwaves
Explain how climate change contributes to extreme weather events.
Climate change alters hydrological cycles, increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and hurricanes, which are amplified by rising temperatures
Describe two health impacts of air pollution.
Air pollution leads to premature deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and can impair cognitive development in children
What are the major health risks of rising global temperatures?
Increased heat-related illnesses, exacerbation of existing conditions like cardiovascular diseases, and higher mortality rates, especially among vulnerable populations
Discuss the relationship between biodiversity loss and the emergence of zoonotic diseases.
Habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss increase human-wildlife interaction, raising the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, such as Ebola and malaria
How does drought affect food security?
Drought reduces water availability for agriculture, decreasing crop yields and livestock productivity, leading to food shortages
Analyze the impact of extreme weather events on developed versus developing countries.
While both are affected, developing countries bear a disproportionate burden due to limited resources, infrastructure, and higher vulnerability, resulting in greater economic and social consequences
Evaluate the long-term implications of rising sea levels for coastal populations.
Rising sea levels lead to the displacement of populations, loss of arable land, increased salinity of freshwater sources, and infrastructure damage, particularly impacting low-lying nations
How does climate change increase the risk of vector-borne diseases?
Climate change alters ecosystems, increasing mosquito abundance, survival, and distribution. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns expand the range and activity periods of vectors like mosquitoes, thereby raising disease transmission
Explain the relationship between drought and food security.
Drought reduces crop and livestock productivity, limits drinking water supplies, and disrupts sanitation, leading to food insecurity. This can exacerbate undernutrition and force migration due to resource scarcity
What is solastalgia, and how is it related to environmental change?
Solastalgia is psychological distress caused by environmental changes that degrade familiar surroundings. It results from attachment loss to one’s sociophysical environment, often leading to anxiety, depression, and a sense of powerlessness
Why are developing countries more vulnerable to health effects from environmental pressures?
Developing countries face 15 times higher health burdens due to weaker infrastructure, limited resources, and higher exposure to extreme weather and infectious diseases
Describe two ways climate change impacts mental health.
Climate change leads to mental health issues by causing displacement and breaking social ties, leading to anxiety, depression, and trauma. It can also increase stress through the fear of future environmental events and financial instability
Discuss the role of anthropogenic climate change in the 2003 European heatwave.
Anthropogenic climate change significantly increased the risk of heat-related mortality during the 2003 European heatwave, accounting for 64 deaths in London and 506 in Paris. This demonstrates the direct human health impacts of climate change
Analyze the link between rising temperatures and labor productivity.
Rising temperatures increase heat exposure, resulting in more work hours lost due to heat stress. In 2019, over 100 billion potential work hours were lost compared to 2000, highlighting the economic and health costs of global warming
Evaluate the challenges faced by the Maldives due to sea-level rise.
As the flattest country, the Maldives risks losing 77% of its land area by 2100 under mid-level scenarios, with impacts on freshwater scarcity and increased flooding. The country faces existential threats without global mitigation efforts
Case Study: 2004 Tsunami in Cuddalore
How did the interaction between exposure and vulnerability increase health risks in Cuddalore after the 2004 tsunami?
Vulnerable populations in Cuddalore faced heightened risks due to limited infrastructure, high exposure to hazards, and socioeconomic challenges, compounding the tsunami’s health impacts
Case Study: Australian Bushfires 2020
What were the environmental and ecological consequences of the Australian bushfires in 2020?
The fires killed or displaced nearly 3 billion animals, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. They also released significant emissions, exacerbating climate change and threatening biodiversity
Case Study: Baltic Sea and Vibrio Infections
How has the warming Baltic Sea influenced Vibrio infections?
Warmer sea temperatures and low salinity in the Baltic Sea have increased Vibrio prevalence, leading to more infections, especially during extreme heatwaves like those in 2006
