CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING

By: Galley Bernard 

smoke is being released into the atmosphere which will disrupt air quality.

Climate change, referring to long-term alterations in the Earth’s climate, particularly temperature shifts and weather patterns, is considered one of the most pressing global health challenges in the 21st century. It significantly affects the physical environment and its interaction with human beings, leading to various health problems. These range from premature deaths due to natural disasters to communicable diseases caused by deteriorated hygiene and an overabundance of pathogens. Studies show a considerable increase in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) since the industrial revolution.

A multi-country study has suggested that, climate change is responsible for 400,000 additional deaths each year and will contribute to 700,000 annual deaths by 2030 (Zhao, Yu, Mahendran, & Gao, 2022). If human activities that worsen harsh climate conditions are not mitigated, climate change will continue to escalate health problems. 

Floods and storms, resulting from altered climate patterns, create significant health challenges globally. Floods, triggered by rising sea levels and heavy rainfall, have caused millions of deaths and homelessness, leading to disease outbreaks. Research also revealed that more than 4500 records of flood between 1900 and 2015 caused almost 90 million homelessness and 7 million deaths. Mental health is also impacted, with individuals experiencing depression and anxiety post-flooding. This year, many people have been displaced in Ghana as a result of flooding. The Mepe township and it's environs have been flooded, leading to the displacement of thousands of people. The sea levels rose, which led to the spillage of the Akosombo dam, displacing and rendering thousands of people homeless. Storms, including hurricanes, tropical storms, tornados, and tsunamis, have led to millions of deaths since the 20th century, causing respiratory, parasitic, and infectious diseases that keep people hospitalized and globally claim lives. 

Droughts, another consequence of climate change, contribute to severe health problems. Their effects include dust storms, water insecurities, wildfires, and food shortages. According to Madam Elizabeth Opare, who is a climate change activist and researcher, four billion people globally experience water scarcity annually, leading to increased cases of diarrhea, a leading cause of death in children under five. Since dust storms contain or carry anthropogenic pollutants such as dioxins, pesticides, and radioactive isotopes, human health can be affected when inhaled into the body. Results from researches have revealed that inhaling contaminated particles may contribute to measles in Western China, meningitis in West Africa and valley fever in America.

Farms being destroyed by wildfires.

Wildfires, heightened by high temperatures and low precipitation, lead to severe health issues, including burns, injuries, mental health effects, and premature deaths. Inhalation of contaminated particles may contribute to specific diseases such as measles, meningitis, and valley fever. Smoke from wildfires contains toxic particles and chemicals, adding to health problems. Annually, choking on gas and dust as a result of wildfires causes 339,000 additional deaths.

Unless actions are taken to control the human activities exacerbating climate change, the world will witness further devastating consequences. Climate change is estimated to cause 700,000 deaths annually by 2030, emphasizing the urgency to address its root causes to preserve lives.

Watch the video below to see how climate change affects human health and wellbeing👇👇👇👇

 

ABOUT THE WRITER 

Galley Bernard is a young man who hails from Achemfo-Adidome in the Volta region of Ghana. He is a level 300 student pursuing a degree in Journalism at the University of Media, Arts and Communication - Institute of Journalism. He acts as a writer/script editor for the Caring Climate Chronicles blog.

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