Possible impacts of climate change on global health

“Climate change.” This has made headlines in recent years more than ever before as we approach a point of no return for our world. Climate change is the long-term alteration of weather patterns and temperatures worldwide. While some of these changes are naturally occurring, the worst impacts of climate change can be attributed to human activities. The primary driver of the production of heat-trapping gases, which leads to climate change, is the burning of fossil fuels—that is, coal, oil, and gas.

Suffice it to say, this is bad news, and it affects more than just our time. It also impacts our health as a human population, as it crosses borders and contaminates our food and water sources. Our "global health"—which has been on the rise for decades, even centuries—is beginning to slow its progress. Here's how climate change can affect our global health.

How do we define "global health"?

Global health is essentially defined as the health of all people within a global context. It encompasses much more than just health-related issues, such as the novel coronavirus, which crosses international borders—literally. Rather, global health refers to any potential health problem that can have repercussions across multiple countries. Climate change can have significant impacts on global health due to weather and climate shifts, such as extreme heat waves, cold waves, floods, wildfires, and more.

Before the arrival of COVID-19, global health and measures of human health worldwide had greatly improved compared to previous decades. Now, with climate change threatening to turn things around for the worse, this could tip.

Climate change is slowing global progress in human health

Over the past 200 years, human life expectancy has nearly doubled. We can thank many social advances for this, including a better understanding of nutrition, improved living environments, better air quality, higher literacy rates, reduced maternal mortality rates, and—of course—the impact of vaccines. All these factors combined have significantly increased our life expectancy and overall health.

So, where will climate change make things worse? Well, there are a few ways climate change can impact our global health. We'll list some of those impacts and break them down in detail.

Human activities increase our exposure to waterborne pathogens.

One of the major problems linked to human activities is the production of toxins in our water. This includes cyanobacterial blooms, harmful algae, and chemicals. This affects our exposure to waterborne pathogens, including parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Furthermore, climate change, such as frequent heavy rainfall and runoff, can lead to more of these pathogens appearing in our waterways, and especially to high concentrations at certain times of the year.

Increase in cases of food poisoning linked to bacteria due to higher air temperatures

As temperatures rise due to global warming, there is a significant increase in cases of food poisoning caused by bacteria. Bacteria prefer warmer temperatures to cold and will thrive as the globe warms. Sometimes these illnesses can be bothersome and cause unpleasant gastrointestinal distress, but in more severe cases, they can be fatal.

Extreme events such as floods and droughts could create food access problems

In countries prone to severe weather events such as droughts, earthquakes, and floods, food distribution could be disrupted or halted altogether, as roads and waterways become impassable due to storms. Certain populations are particularly vulnerable to these risks, including those in developing countries, low-income individuals and families, and groups with limited English proficiency. People with disabilities and chronic illnesses may also suffer from a lack of accessibility, especially if they require medication and/or prescription drugs.

The overwhelming heat and threats associated with climate change can affect the stress response

Particularly vulnerable populations, such as people with mental illness or other conditions, may be at greater risk of experiencing depression and anxiety due to the circumstances. In fact, extreme heat has been cited as a factor that tripled the risk of death among people with pre-existing mental illness. Certain groups of people may be at greater risk than others, including pregnant or postpartum women, people with mental health problems, low-income individuals, emergency workers, older adults, and young children.

Climate change is increasing our exposure to chemical contaminants in food.

Climate change has various impacts that could increase our exposure to chemical contaminants in food. For example, higher sea surface temperatures can lead to increased mercury levels in seafood. Furthermore, extreme weather events that cause runoff will introduce contaminants into the food chain through larger bodies of water.

What are we doing?

We have reached a point where our world needs us as much as we need it. Climate change is a threat that endangers all people and all countries, regardless of their location. The best way to combat climate change is in our daily lives, by making small changes to reduce our impact on the world. Countries have already begun to respond by establishing better systems for monitoring extreme weather events, reducing vulnerabilities, and creating infrastructure that takes into account the future impacts of climate change.

What can you do? Ending climate change can start with you. Panda7 is doing its part by planting a tree for every submission it receives and three for every policy purchased. Visit our Giveback page to learn more about how we do this.