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Climate change and human health
Professor Tony McMichael, a NHMRC Fellow at ANU's National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, gave a presentation to NHMRC Council on 4 September on the challenge of climate change and the likely impacts on human health. He discussed exposure to environmental hazards such as extreme weather events, and heat waves, higher levels of air pollutants and allergens, and exposure to a loss of environmental 'capital'. Such losses would be reduced food yields, reduced supplies of fresh water, altered constraints on infectious agents and destabilised infrastructure (such as the permafrost-based footings of buildings in the arctic region).
Professor McMichael said while aspects of the mitigation of climate change like increased reliance on public transport could be positive improvement for public health, we need to understand how humans will react to other changes such as increased temperatures. He quoted WHO figures estimating that the current level of climate change is responsible for an increase of:
- 2 - 6% of malaria (by region);
- 2.4% of diarrhoea; and
- 17% of malnutrition because of reduced food yields.
He said the major health impact of climate change, now and in the foreseeable future, is expected to be in children under five, because of their vulnerability.
He said climate change could cast a long shadow over rural Australia, in everything from reduced agricultural productivity and access to fresh water, to mental stress, depression and suicide (as a consequence of significant decline in the rural economy) and changes in health related behaviours such as increased alcohol use.
Professor McMichael said there were many health benefits from mitigation strategies such as reduced rates of cardio-respiratory diseases from air pollution, a lower risk of a number of cancers from reduced consumption of red meat, and less obesity as a result of improved public transport which would ensure people were more active.
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