week 12 Flashcards
3 crucial facts
- The greenhouse effect is well understood
- the physics underpinning carbon dioxide to trap heat was established in the 1800s - Atmospheric concentrations of climate-altering pollutants are increasing
- The climate is changing
- more than just temperature (more extremes, variability - global weirding)
- climate is not the same as weather
perceptions of climate change
climate change beliefs have only a small to moderate effect on the extent to which people are willing to act in climate-friendly ways
why did it change from global warming to climate change? why is the language important?
Global warming is only part of the story
- weather is not the same thing as climate
- more than just temperature. Also precipitation, storms, sea levels, etc.
- importance of climate variability (climate extremes, “global weirding”)
how does climate change directly effect health?
- heat waves
- extreme weather
how does climate change indirectly affect health?
- climate change increases risk of forest fires, which increase air pollution, which affects health
- flooding influences agricultural production, which can affect health
which is the relationship between health and climate changed modified by?
modified by vulnerabilities such as poverty
3 main potential links between climate and health
- heat
- food security
- wildfires
what are the climate pressure, exposure pathways, and health outcomes for increased greenhouse gas emissions?
climate pressure:
- increasing temperatures
- more extreme weather
- rising sea levels
- extremes of precipitation
Exposure pathways:
- extreme heat and heatwaves
- air pollution
- water contamination
- changes in vector ecology
- increasing allergens
- food supply and quality
- population displacement
Health outcomes:
- heat stress and heat stroke
- respiratory disease
- CVD
- gastrointestinal illness
- vector-borne disease (Lyme, Zika, etc.)
- mental health illness
- adverse birth outcomes
- physical trauma and death
how many heat-related deaths occurred in 2019 for individuals older than 65?
345,000
2021 BC heat event
- 380 deaths in BC on June 29 (typically 90-130 deaths per day)
- 1,630 deaths in the 8 days from June 25 to July 2 (740 more than expected under normal conditions)
- mortality doubled in every age group over 50
trees as an intervention?
- transpiration cooling
- shade
- trees cover 70% of land in BC
3 ingredients for forest fires
- fuel
- type, moisture, etc. - ignition
- human activity, lightning - weather
- hot, dry, windy
wildfire smoke and health
findings found positive impacts on all-cause mortality and respiratory hospitalisations but less consistent evidence on cardiovascular rmorbidity
wildfire smoke and brain health
results indicate that PM2.5 and wildfire smoke were associated with reduced attention in adults within hours and days of exposure, but further research is needed to elucidate these relationships
the changing nature of wildfire smoke
wildfire smoke is historically considered sporadic and short-term exposure
however, as wildfire smoke becomes more frequent and persistent feature of summers in NA and around the world, researchers think it could have longer-term health implications
wildfire smoke and dementia
In the US higher residential levels of fine particulate matter were associated w greater rates of incident dementia, especially for fine particulate matter generated by agriculture and wildfires
- results suggest stronger associated between wildfire PM2.5 exposure and dementia
- interventions focused on reducing wildfire PMN2.5 exposure may reduce dementia diagnoses
The future of wildfires
- forest fire smoke will account for a larger proportion of total PM2.5 exposure and attributable mortality
- adaptation will be crucial
RCP
representative concentration pathway
what will become the defining narrative of human health?
with this current trajectory, it will be climate change
major green house pollutants
- Carbon Dioxide (burning of fossil fuels, gas, coal, oil)
- Methane (agriculture uses of land and cows, natural gas leaks)
- Nitrogen oxide (fertiliser)
- Fluorinated gas (fridges and AC units)
