Q: Are there really medical issues because of global warming, or is that a lot of hype?

A: It is important to note that global warming is a climate issue (climate meaning weather conditions in a region over a long period of time), not a weather issue (weather meaning the state of the atmosphere in a specific place at a specific time). So, a cold snap does NOT mean there is no global warming. The Earth is getting warmer; the warmest decade in history occurred in the first decade of 2000, and the earth has gotten even hotter since, with this decade shaping up to be even warmer than the last. Furthermore, the scientific evidence is unequivocal that humans are responsible for this rise in temperatures.

The availability of clean and reliable air, water and food are obviously necessary for our health and survival.

Issues from global warming changes to the air we breathe:

Respiratory illnesses (such as asthma, COPD exacerbations and others) due to increasing air pollution, for example from smoke due to large wildfires as well as other factors, are already taking their toll. Seven million deaths per year are already caused by air pollution. In addition, global warming has already changed the pattern of allergens (such as pollen), with ramifications of increased health effects and an increased number of people affected by allergy issues.

Issues from global warming changes in the food and water we consume:

Droughts, floods, heat waves and other changes due to global warming already pose a risk to our food supply in both quantity (with availability of food being a growing issue) as well as quality (changes in the available nutrition of our food sources due to effects from climate change). Rising water temperatures, as well as problems from water run-off, are also causing issues. For example, contaminants in our freshwater supply (from bacteria, viruses and other pathogens) have increased. Increasing droughts have already caused issues with water availability. Rising sea levels from the melting of the polar caps is threatening the very existence of many places. Algae outbreaks and other biological issues in our oceans have already had an impact on the availability and quality of our fish supply (for example increasing effects from Vibrio bacteria, toxins such as ciguatera, and many other issues). There has already been an increase in foodborne illnesses. This includes effects from both chemical contaminants in the food chain, as well as bacterial/viral/other contamination of our food sources (such as bacterial food poisoning outbreaks like the recent ones requiring recalls of lettuce and many other foods).

Climate change due to global warming not only poses a risk to our air, water and food supply, but also has many other medical consequences. For example:

Global warming is already driving an increase in large-scale natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and other natural disasters. The direct effects of these disasters are well known; regular readers will be familiar with some of these effects from the articles I have written about my own work responding to disasters. Vector-borne diseases (diseases caused by pathogens that are transmitted by arthropods, usually insects) are increasing. These already account for almost 20 percent of all infectious diseases worldwide, and global warming has significantly increased the threat from these. Many vector-borne diseases are spreading faster and to new locations (driven not only by climate changes, but also by the increase in travel worldwide). For example, Lyme disease is becoming more common in areas that are further and further north. West Nile, Zika and many other diseases continue to spread more aggressively and to new places.

And all this is just the (melting) tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that a quarter million deaths per year will be caused by medical issues due to climate change between 2030 and 2050.

Unfortunately, the health care industry is a major contributor to global warming; it is responsible for 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions (from the power required to run hospitals, medical devices, etc.). This fact is finally being recognized, and some pioneer health care systems are taking action; for example, Gundersen Health Systems already has an almost zero carbon footprint (using renewable energy for almost all its power needs), and many other health care systems (such as Aurora Health Care) are working toward this goal as well.
 
Jeff Hersh, Ph.D., M.D., can be reached at DrHersh@juno.com