A recent report published in The Lancet Public Health estimated how climate change will affect human health in Europe, based on 42 indicators including ticks, food security and leishmaniasis. Experts are discussing.
Researchers say European governments are missing opportunities to improve and protect the health of their populations by delaying meaningful climate action, worsening health inequalities with a disproportionate impact on vulnerable and high-risk populations. He emphasizes that he is doing so.
The Lancet Countdown Europe Report 2024 on Health and Climate Change: Unprecedented warming requires unprecedented action. Image credit: Fabrizio Maffei / Shutterstock
Ongoing health emergency
Global temperatures are inching closer to a 1.5°C rise, beyond which there will be significant implications for the health of our climate.
In Europe, heat-related mortality is rapidly increasing, with 17.2 deaths per 100,000 people. When the risk of heat stress increases, vulnerable populations reduce physical activity, resulting in increased morbidity of non-communicable diseases. Heat exposure also affects economic and social determinants of health by reducing labor supply.
Rising temperatures will also expand the range of pathogens and pathogens that carry diseases such as dengue, Zika, leishmaniasis and malaria, potentially allowing them to establish themselves in previously inhospitable areas, increasing the risk of outbreaks. .
Wildfire danger and drought are also on the rise across Europe. The climate emergency has increased the number of people experiencing severe or moderate food insecurity in Europe by 12 million.
Climate change and health inequalities
The health impacts of climate change are deeply interconnected and do not affect all individuals equally. Impacts are unevenly distributed due to variations in adaptive capacity, susceptibility, and exposure, which are determined by marginalization, socio-economic development, and inequality (historical and current).
The brunt of the effects of climate change are often the groups least responsible for the problem. These groups may not be recognized as vulnerable or prioritized by policy interventions.
Across European countries, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, displaced people, migrants, low-income groups, pregnant and childbearing women, and the LGBTQ+ community are the most affected by the health impacts of climate change.
For example, women are twice as likely as men to die from heat-related deaths or poor diet. Food insecurity is significantly higher among low-income households. People living in very poor areas are more likely to be exposed to harmful particulate matter from wildfires.
Policy interventions and adaptation strategies are often poorly designed. They do not consider equity and can exacerbate or perpetuate environmental and health inequalities. The authors call for further research that delves into the unequal impacts of climate change on health so that appropriate measures can be taken to promote health protection across the population.
Accelerating climate change countermeasures
The contribution of European countries to global greenhouse gas emissions has historically been high and will continue to be high. While these emissions have benefited Europe in the form of economic growth, other countries with historically low emissions face disproportionate impacts of current and future environmental changes.
In this way, climate change is linked to environmental and social justice issues. In 2021, Europeans produced around 5.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person, nearly three times as much as the average person in Latin America and six times as much as the average person in Africa. Despite this disparity, Europe has not been able to curb its emissions and will not reach carbon neutrality by the end of the century.
Furthermore, because Europe imports services and goods produced in other regions, the continent causes environmental pressures in other regions, such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, with significant health and climate impacts. is affecting. Coal's contribution to Europe's total energy supply will increase in 2021, with more than half of European countries continuing to subsidize fossil fuels.
The authors highlighted the need to mitigate the effects of climate change through bold action and the benefits of such interventions, including reducing early mortality and morbidity. The involvement of the scientific and business communities in issues related to climate and health is increasing, but the involvement of individuals, politics and the media remains low.
The researchers hope that European countries will work towards a healthy and just environmental transition that recognizes local responsibility and contribution to the current climate emergency, while supporting vulnerable communities.
conclusion
This comprehensive assessment of the health impacts of climate change in European countries highlights the ongoing negative effects on community health and that without appropriate and immediate action these negative effects will continue to increase. I'm pointing out what might happen.
The researchers noted that climate change is no longer a theoretical, hypothetical scenario expected to unfold in the future. It is an ongoing emergency that is rapidly increasing in severity. Billions of people are at risk from this crisis, and European countries have a role to play in mitigating its impact.
Reference magazines:
The Lancet Countdown Europe Report 2024 on Health and Climate Change: Unprecedented warming requires unprecedented action. Van Daalen, K.R., Tong, C., Semenza, J.C., Rockloff, J., Markandia, A., Dasandi, N., Junkin, S., Acebak, H., Ballester, J., Bechara, H. ., Beck, T.M., Callahan, M.W., Carvalho, B.M., Chambers, J., Prada, M.C., Courtenay, O., Dasgupta, S., Eckelman, M.J., Farooq, Z., Franson, P., Rowe, R. Lancet Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00055-0, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468266724000550
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