Major health consequences of climate change.

The World Health Organiozation has identified five major health consequences of climate change.

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First, the agricultural sector is extremely sensitive to climate variability. Rising temperatures and more frequent droughts and floods can compromise food security. Increases in [b]malnutrition[/b] are expected to be especially severe in countries where large populations depend on rain-fed subsistence farming. Malnutrition, much of it caused by periodic droughts, is already responsible for an estimated 3.5 million deaths each year.

Second, more frequent extreme weather events mean more potential deaths and injuries caused by [b]storms and floods[/b]. In addition, flooding can be followed by outbreaks of diseases, such as cholera, especially when water and sanitation services are damaged or destroyed. Storms and floods are already among the most frequent and deadly forms of natural disasters.

Third, both scarcities of [b]water[/b], which is essential for hygiene, and excess water due to more frequent and torrential rainfall will increase the burden of diarrhoeal disease, which is spread through contaminated food and water. Diarrhoeal disease is already the second leading infectious cause of childhood mortality and accounts for a total of approximately 1.8 million deaths each year.

Fourth, [b]heatwaves[/b], especially in urban “heat islands”, can directly increase morbidity and mortality, mainly in elderly people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease. Apart from heatwaves, higher temperatures can increase ground-level ozone and hasten the onset of the pollen season, contributing to asthma attacks.

Finally, changing temperatures and patterns of rainfall are expected to alter the geographical distribution of [b]insect vectors[/b] that spread infectious diseases. Of these diseases, malaria and dengue are of greatest public health concern.

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[url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2008/s05/en/index.html]These concerns were expressed by the WHO in connection with World Health Day, April 7.[/url] This year's World Health Day focused on the need to protect health from the adverse effects of climate change. WHO selected this theme in recognition that climate change is posing ever growing threats to global public health security.

[url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr11/en/index.html]Cli... change will erode foundations of health[/url]

[url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs266/en/index.html]Fact sheet: Climate and health[/url]