Climate Change and Health: Framing the issue

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Climate Change and Health Health: Framing Paper the Issue ANGOLA Climate-change vulnerability HIGH Health expenditure per capita (Int. $ at PPP*) 105 GDP per capita (US$) 4,714 Climate-related health risks include: EWEs, diarrhoea, hepatitis A, malaria, and schistosomiasis EWEs • There has been an increase in the number of warm spells over Southern Africa and a decrease in the number of extremely cold days. In some parts of Southern Africa, including Angola, a significant increase in heavy rainfall events has been observed along with evidence for changes in seasonality and extremes. 91 • Locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on Angola’s interior plateau. 92 In 2009, about 80,000 people were displaced from their homes and 220,000 people were affected by floods in the southern Angolan province of Cunene. 93 Disease • The entire population of Angola is considered at risk of malaria. 94 • Angola has a ‘very high’ risk rating for a number of other major climate-sensitive infectious diseases: food or waterborne diseases such as bacterial and protozoal diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever; vector-borne diseases such as African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness); and water contact diseases such as schistosomiasis. 95 • Cholera and respiratory infections also increased dramatically after recent floods. 96 028Introduction 28 Where will the impacts be most felt? In 2009, about 80,000 people were displaced from their homes.
Climate Change and Health: Framing the Issue 4. What are the societal and economic benefits of addressing climate change related health impacts? Tackling the health impacts of climate change will have a positive impact on society, but also on the economy. • Societal benefits: Most importantly, tackling the impacts of climate change on health will alleviate the human costs of pain and suffering, allow resources to be allocated to education, and support development. • Economic benefits: Although the impact on disease and human health is the most important benefit, there are also economic rewards at stake. The net economic benefits of managing climate change related incidents of malaria, malnutrition and diarrhoeal disease in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asian economies could range from US$33–US$54 billion between 2010 and 2030. 97 Even if global emissions of GHGs are drastically reduced in the coming years, temperatures are nonetheless expected to rise. The health impacts of climate change will need to be addressed through prevention, treatment and adaptation. Tackling the health impacts of climate change will have a positive impact both on society and on the economy. Health interventions will alleviate some of the human suffering involved, including loss, pain and bereavement. It is impossible to quantify this benefit, but it nonetheless remains the primary consideration in the fight against disease. In considering the benefits of addressing the health impacts of climate change it is also important to bear in mind the alleviation of strain for individuals and countries. At a national level, developing countries with already limited resources are further stretched by the pressures on public health systems. Meanwhile at the household level, families will often divert spending towards medicine at the expense of other basic needs. Reducing the disease burden would allow resources to be directed to other activities – for example education – that can improve both quality of life and future earning prospects. Benefits also extend to the wider international health and development agenda. Four of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – although underpinned by wider economic factors – relate specifically to health and/or climate change. The goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (goal 1), reduce child mortality rate (goal 4), combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (goal 6) and ensure environmental sustainability (goal 7) could all be impacted by the health effects of climate change. Limiting GHGs and ensuring that any additional health impacts from climate change are addressed will contribute significantly to furthering the MDGs. The net economic benefits of managing the additional health effects of climate change will also be significant. What are the societal and economic benefits of addressing climate change related health impacts? 29
Page 1: Climate Change and Health: Framing
Page 5 and 6: Foreword Andrew Witty Chief Executi
Page 7 and 8: will exacerbate food insecurity in
Page 9 and 10: 1. What does the science say about
Page 11 and 12: Climate Change and Health: Framing
Page 13 and 14: Overview 2.2 Cardio-respiratory dis
Page 15 and 16: Overview 2.4 Malnutrition Likely ov
Page 17 and 18: Figure 2.3: Climate Change and Mala
Page 19 and 20: Overview 2.6 Waterborne diseases Li
Page 21 and 22: Box 2.2 Water security The array of
Page 23 and 24: Figure 3.1: Africa hosts 8 out of t
Page 25 and 26: Country profiles INDIA Climate-chan
Page 27: KENYA Climate-change vulnerability
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Page 33 and 34: 5.3 Implications Given the gaps in
Page 35 and 36: Conclusion Science tells us that ch
Page 37 and 38: Appendix 1 Approach for quantifying
Page 39: 47. Bates, B. C. et al. (2010) ‘C

Climate Change and Health: Framing the issue

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