Health Impacts of Global Climate Change

Abstract

Increased combustion of fossil fuels, along with many industrial and agricultural activities are resulting in greater emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. The continuing increased emissions of these greenhouse gases is contributing to global warming and climate change because of the greenhouse effect. Global warming may become a critical issue for increased frequency and severity of heat stress morbidity and mortality in summer, increased exposure to air pollution, and the spread of vector- borne and water-borne infectious diseases from tropical latitudes to more northern and southern latitudes and higher elevations.
In this symposium, four presentations will discuss the possible impacts of global warming on a higher incidence of heat stress related mortality and morbidity, expansion of regions for vector- borne and water-borne diseases, contribution of higher temperatures and air pollution to mortality, and the possible relationship of El Nino-Southern Oscillation to the spread of malaria to more southern latitudes and higher elevations. J Epidemiol, 1996 ; 6 : S159-S160.