What is Climate Change?
Climate change is a long-term shift in weather conditions identified by changes in temperature, precipitation, winds, and other indicators. Climate change can involve both changes in average conditions and changes in variability, including, for example, extreme events.
Across Ontario we have seen an increase in prolonged heat waves, torrential rainstorms, windstorms, even drought. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense.
What causes climate change?
Changes in climate can be caused by natural events and processes and by human influences. However, since the Industrial Revolution, climate change due to human influences has increased significantly:
- Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) - used for transportation, manufacturing, heating, cooling, electricity generation, and other applications
- accounts for between 70-90 % of all human emissions of carbon dioxide, which is a major greenhouse gas.
- Land use activities: ranching, agriculture, and the clearing and degradation of forests
- Production and transport of fossil fuels, agricultural activities, waste management, and industrial processes.
How climate change affects our health
Climate change may have effects on our health and well-being. Some health outcomes may be considered direct results of climate change, however, most will occur through indirect exposures Some of us are more vulnerable than others to the effects of climate change than others including young children, the elderly, people who are chronically ill, low income and homeless people, disabled people, people living in rural communities, and indigenous peoples.
1. Temperature-related morbidity and mortality
-
- Illness related to extreme cold and heat events
- Respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses
- Increased occupational health risks
2. Weather-related natural hazards
- Damaged public health infrastructure
- Injuries and illnesses
- Social and mental stress
- Increased occupational health hazards
- Population displacement
3. Air quality
- Increased exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollutants and allergens
- Respiratory diseases
- Heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases
- Cancer
4. Water- and food-borne contamination
- Intestinal disorders and illnesses caused by chemical and biological contaminants
5. Health effects of exposure to ultraviolet rays
- Skin damage and skin cancer
- Cataracts
- Disturbed immune function
6. Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases
- Changed patterns of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and other pathogens carried by mosquitoes, ticks, and animals.
7. Socioeconomic effects of Climate Change
- Extra pressure placed on health care services: increased demands resulting from natural hazards
- Disruption of social networks: can affect our ability to communicate during emergencies
- Interference with livelihoods: increased stress due to income loss as livelihoods and productivity are affected
- Decreased availability of housing and shelter: increases in extreme weather events may lead to damage to buildings and displacement of people
- Damage to critical infrastructure: food production, water management, energy production, storm sewer, drainage and sanitation systems, and housing and health infrastructures are designed for our current climate. Health risks can arise when any one of these systems fails or becomes compromised as our climate changes.
What's Public Health doing about Climate Change?
SWPH is currently in the framing and scoping phase of completing a climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment for the region.
The key health impact categories that will be included in this assessment are:
- Extreme Temperature
- Extreme Weather Events and Natural Hazards
- Air Quality
- Water and Foodborne Diseases
- Infectious diseases transmitted by insects, ticks and rodents
- Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
The goal of the climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment is to understand the current impacts and projected future risks of climate variability and change in Oxford, Elgin and St.Thomas. This will allow us to develop policies and programs to increase community and individual resilience to these risks.