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Vulnerability of Rural and Aboriginal Communities

Marginalised, rural or disparaged communities experience the brunt of climate change ramifications. Biophysical phenomena disproportionately disparage the well-being of those sensitive to the environment or with a low capacity to adapt. Such communities include thousands of Indigenous and rural Australians living in outstations and deserts from the Pilbara to the Torres Strait Islands. This sensitivity to ecosystem changes is devastatingly coupled with climatic projections of hotter days, intense cyclones, erosion and saltwater inundation. This may be due to a multitude of inherent reasons:

Indigenous people have inextricable, close connections between the health of their culture and physical and mental well-being.

Lower socioeconomic status, basic infrastructure and existent chronic health problems viciously deter disadvantaged communities from adapting to change and loss.

Little domestic research considers indigenous and rural vulnerability to guide national and public health policy makers.

Adaptability is further challenged by historic, nonclimatic stresses such as cultural upheaval, land dispossession and globalisation.

The widespread and uncontrolled onset of climate change further entrenches shortfalls of the healthcare system and worsens the mental and physical health of individuals. For example, extreme weather events concentrated in rural regions result in lost income, mounting debt and damage to property which may prompt mental illness and harmful behaviour to surface as depression, anxiety, psychological trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, social withdrawal, relationship disharmony and self-harm. According to the National Rural Health Alliance, “the rate of suicide among male farmers has been reported as almost fifty per cent higher than for rural men, with a direct correlation between prolonged drought, isolation and the rate of suicide.”

In such highly specific circumstances, the most effective, long-term solutions are not to directly tackle global climate change but instead combat local vulnerability, evaluate policy support opportunities and determine quick global–local interactions that diminish the indirect and direct influences of climate change.

Ford J. Indigenous Health and Climate Change. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2017 Aug 21]; 102(7) 1260-1266. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3477984/

RURAL HEALTH IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE fact sheet [Internet]. Canberra: National Health Rural Health Alliance Inc.; 2014 Nov [cited 2017 Aug 21]. Available from: http://ruralhealth.org.au/sites/default/files/publications/nrha-factsheet-climate-change.pdf

Green D, Minchin L. Living on Climate-Changed Country: Indigenous Health, Well-Being and Climate Change in Remote Australian Communities. EcoHealth [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2017 Aug 21]. Available from: http://web.science.unsw.edu.au/~donnag/dlg_lm_ecohealth.pdf

Green D. 2006 Climate Change and Health: Impacts on remote Indigenous Communities in Northern Australia [Internet]. CSIRO [cited 2017 August 21]. Available from http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/greendl_2006.pdf

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What are some reasons you feel that climate change can often be overlooked in the health system?

Thank you very much for your question!

Yes, the human health, social stability and public welfare dimension of climate change has long been overlooked. The few concerns have revolved primarily around tangible risks from ski slopes and property damage to electricity costs and humidity.

In 1993, Tony McMichael, hailed as the man who determined how the global environment affects human health, published Planetary Overload: Global Environmental Change and the Health of the Human Species, the first scholarly look at the health effects of climate change. However, more than two decades later, public and national health programmes by and large fail to accommodate environmental change in shaping human wellbeing.

In truth, government funders weren’t and aren’t interested. Former Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott failed to put climate change and health on the agenda of a G20 meeting following pleas from multiple organisations and leaders. Climate change is overwhelmingly seen as big, unbounded and complex with no room in federal budgets and government health programmes. Yet, in the opinion of professionals, if we do not take immediate, defensive action, the world may not survive the economic, social and political stresses brought on by a changing environment.

The predictions are right. More droughts, heat waves, floods, storms and the like are creating impoverishment, which leaves behind a trail of illness, depression and premature death.

Let this be a request to health professionals to speak about climate change. Let this be a request to everyone to raise their voice and break the cycle of inaction.

Don’t make climate change just another buzzword. Make it history.

For more information about what you as an individual can achieve please visit http://www.climateandhealthalliance.org/

Silberner J. Tribute: The Man Who Linked Climate Change To Global Health [Internet]. The United States of America: National Public Radio; 2014 Dec [cited 2017 Sep 1]. Available from: http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/12/30/372713713/tribute-the-man-who-linked-climate-change-to-global-health

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We interviewed University of Western Australia Professor Angus Cook of the School of Population and Global Health on his Lecture ‘Climatic Impacts on Health’. Here are some extracts from his lecture.

The alarming rise of Vector Borne Disease

Professor Cook describes “altered weather patterns such as global warming, the El Nino Southern Oscillation and greenhouse gas emissions allow the expansion of ecological niches of insect species and usher exotic organisms and vectors.” The subsequent spread of mosquitos and ticks with this climatic change has led to the skyrocketing growth of yellow fever, lyme disease, and rift valley fever. Temperature increases also cause a dramatic increase in rates of sleeping sickness or trypanosomiasis, due to the increased habitats for tsetse fly breeding.

Deadly by the Dozen: Diarrhoeal diseases worsened by climate change

Global warming and metallurgical transformation are first felt through droughts, floods and storms. Such destruction of water supplies and sanitation produces contaminated water. According to Professor Cook, “pathogens such as cryptosporidium and giardia related to food and water are sensitive to rises in temperature and precipitation disrupting groundwater flows.” In warmer climates, algal blooms further amplify the cholera proliferation.

In a research conducted by the Yale Climate and Energy Institute, poor quality water is already responsible for approximately 1.6 million deaths each year. Climate change is simply exacerbating such deleterious effects.

Researchers in Dhaka, Bangladesh used hospital records to show that diarrhoea incidences increased by 5.6% with a 1 degree rise in temperature. China showed a 12% increase in bacillary dysentery in the temperate city and a 16% increase in the subtropical city with a one degree increase in temperature. Similar overwhelming trends were repeated during an El Ninõ event in Lima, Peru. A number of other researchers have investigated the risk from specific pathogens such as rotavirus and norovirus, which directly correlated with monsoonal seasons influenced by climate patterns.

Greenhouse effects amplify the impact of world poverty

Greenhouse conditions increase photochemical reactions that produce asthma. Dry land and dust fuelled by droughts, as well as pollen and fungal spores from rain and heat increase the prevalence of aeroallergens. In cities, stagnant weather conditions can trap both warm air and air pollutants, leading to smog episodes which can have significant impact on health. 

Furthermore, many crops are temperature sensitive, which increases rates of malnutrition. Professor Cook further specified “about an additional 70 million people are expected to be malnourished by the 2080s on the basis of greenhouse effects alone.”

Cook A. Climatic Impacts on Health [unpublished lecture notes]. University of Western Australia; notes provided at lecture given 2017.

Mellor J. Water-related Disease and Climate [internet]. Yale Climate and Energy Institute [cited 2017 Jul 10]. Available from: http://climate.yale.edu/perspectives/water-related-disease-and-climate

Balaraman K. Doctors Warn Climate Change Threatens Public Health [Internet]. The United States of America: The Scientific American; 2017 Mar [cited Aug 20]. Available from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/doctors-warn-climate-change-threatens-public-health/

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Global warming is exacerbating illness and health issues. From yellow fever to starvation; premature deaths to international outbreaks, climate change is costly. Its making us sick.

Heat waves, ice storms, droughts, floods, and disease-carrying insects expanding their habitat can all maim and kill. Click on the link to learn of the ever increasing implications of global warming on people.

Climate change costs a number of lives every year. This number is in the millions. How to save a life: 

The only way to stop catastrophic climate change and its health effects is through advocacy and cohesive action.

To save a life, visit: The Climate and Health Alliance, Oxfam Australia, WWF Global or Campaign Against Climate Change.

Silberner J. Tribute: The Man Who Linked Climate Change To Global Health [Internet]. The United States of America: National Public Radio; 2014 Dec [cited 2017 Sep 1]. Available from: http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/12/30/372713713/tribute-the-man-who-linked-climate-change-to-global-health

Natural Resources Defense Council. Climate change will impact your health [Internet]. The United States of America: Natural Resources Defense Council; 2017 Mar [cited 2017 Sep 10]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk-PUcXZfa8

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Nourishment and hunger: Asia and Africa

Climate change affects food cultivation and deteriorates world hunger. Over 75% of the world depends on farming and natural resources for their essential livelihood. More than 10% of total agricultural output is lost to rising global temperatures, floods and extreme weather events, thus increasing malnutrition and impoverishment across the globe.

The CGIAR’s research program estimates that 3% of land in Africa, which supports a total of 35 million people is not be suitable to grow their staple crop, maize. This is all due to the extreme weather events caused by climate change. There will also be a 50% decrease in crop yields across Sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. 

This devastating impact is not only observed in Africa but also in many regions across Asia particularly Bangladesh. Their yield of rice is substantially disparaged due to flooding. The government hence imports rice to compensate, but in doing so inflates rice prices and consumers as such face poverty as the number of underweight children rises. Furthermore, more than 40% of children in Bangladesh lack vital minerals and vitamins which contributes to malnutrition.

With millions of people suffering while human activity tarnishes the atmosphere, climate change is an issue that we can no longer turn a blind eye to. I urge all our readers to take initiative and fight against climate change to make our planet a utopia and secure haven for future generations. Please visit Campaign against Climate Change to begin your line of action.

Image: http://www.foodsystemprimer.org/food-production/food-and-climate-change/

FAO - News Article: Climate Change and your food: Ten Fact [Internet]. Fao.org. 2017 [cited 7 August 2017] Available from: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/356770/icode/

Rijsberman F. How climate change affects malnutrition [Internet]. Devex. 2017 [cited 7 August 2017]. Available from: https://www.devex.com/news/how-climate-change-affects-malnutrition-87328

THE Impacts of Climate Change on Nutrition [Internet] Action Contre La Faim [cited 8 August 2017] Available from: http://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/sites/default/files/articles/fichier/exe_2_bdef_impacts_of_climate_change_on_nutrition.pdf

Climate Impacts on Food Security | WFP | United Nations World Food Programme - Fighting Hunger Worldwide [Internet]. Wfp.org. 2017 [cited 7 August 2017]. Available from: https://www.wfp.org/climate-change/climate-impacts

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You breathe air, at a risk 

Depleting the ozone layer with harmful emissions and a raised carbon footprint makes air pollution a major environmental risk to health, causing 7 million premature deaths annually. Ozone is a powerful oxidant causing lung tissue damage. Long term exposure can have permanent health effects such as accelerated aging and dysfunction of the lungs as well as the development or worsening of asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and potentially cancer.

Some of the diseases intensified by outdoor air pollution and their pervasiveness is listed as follows:

40% – ischaemic heart disease.

40% – stroke.

11% – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

6% - lung cancer.

3% – acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Our cars, trucks and power plants have become a powerhouse manufacturing nitrogen oxide, the predominant component of smog in industrial regions. In addition to atmospheric ozone, it causes further respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, wheezing, asthma and other cardio-respiratory diseases. It is seen that further toxic environmental agents during pregnancy unduly effect women. Hospitalisation due to such complications or disorders used to be an exception, yet overtime it has become a rule, leading to more birth defects and childhood cancer.

Climate change not only increases harmful atmospheric chemicals or greenhouse gases, but it also disrupts plant and fungal systems. Seasonal patterns and production of pollen are distorted by climate change, elevating levels of allergens, airborne pollens and pollutants. The combination of these factors aggravates allergic responses.

Simply reducing air pollution in major global cities in China, America and India, the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, can be minimised.

In this sense, it is urgent to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions as individuals, communities and nations. Change can be exacted by simple actions. Use public transport, cycle or walk to your workplace or place of study. It may save a life.

Cook A. Climatic Impacts on Health [unpublished lecture notes]. University of Western Australia; notes provided at lecture given 2017.

Balaraman K. Doctors Warn Climate Change Threatens Public Health [Internet]. The United States of America: The Scientific American; 2017 Mar [cited Aug 20]. Available from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/doctors-warn-climate-change-threatens-public-health/

Asthma, Respiratory Allergies and Airway Diseases [Internet]. National Institute of Environmental Health Services. 2017 [cited 13 August 2017]. Available from: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/programs/geh/climatechange/health_impacts/asthma/index.cfm

D’Amato G, Baena-Cagnani C, Cecchi L, Annesi-Maesano I, Nunes C, Ansotegui I et al. Climate change, air pollution and extreme events leading to increasing prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases [Internet]. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine. 2017 [cited 13 August 2017]. Available from: https://mrmjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2049-6958-8-12

D’Amato G, Vitale C, De Martino A, Viegi G, Lanza M, Molino A et al. Effects on asthma and respiratory allergy of Climate change and air pollution [Internet]. US National Library of Medicine. 2017 [cited 12 August 2017] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4687168/

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2003 Europe Heat Wave

Climate change has a two-fold influence on both the planet and human health and wellbeing. A prime example of this phenomenon is the 2003 Europe heatwave, named one of the most devastating natural disasters of the century. It claimed the lives of over 30 000 people with France alone recording over 14000 deaths during the July-August period. Two climatic model simulations, one measuring the effect of human activity and the other without human activity detected a direct link between the human activity on the climate and the heatwave. 

A study by researchers from the UK and the US determined that 506 out of 735 deaths in Paris and 64 out of 315 deaths in London were due to the heat and related complications.

The elderly demographic faced the greatest human suffering with heatstroke and circulatory-respiratory diseases caused by rising levels of ozone and other air pollutants in the atmosphere. In addition the impoverished, people with disabilities (such as heart disease) and those with strenuous occupations are especially at risk.

The Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other organisation claim such severe heatwaves are likely to become frequent in the future. The World Meteorological Organisation upheld that the 0.6 degree temperature rise could double heat related deaths in the next 20 years, not just in Europe but all over the world.

A. De Bono, G. Giuliani, S. Luser, P. Peduzzi. Impacts of Summer 2003 heat wave in Europe [Internet]. 2014 March 4p. Available from: http://www.unisdr.org/files/1145_ewheatwave.en.pdf

The heatwave of 2003 [Internet]. Met Office. 2017 [cited 11 August 2017]. Available from: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/case-studies/heatwave

Climate change and health [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2017 [cited 11 August 2017]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs266/en/

Cook A. Climatic Impacts on Health [unpublished lecture notes]. University of Western Australia; notes provided at lecture given 2017.

European Heatwave caused 35,000 deaths [Internet]. New Scientist. 2017 [cited 10 August 2017] Available from: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4259-european-heatwave-caused-35000-deaths/

Dhainaut J, Claessens Y, Ginsburg C, Riou B. Unprecedented heat-related deaths during the 2003 heat wave in Paris: consequences on emergency departments [Internet]. US National Library of Medicine. 2017 [cited 11 August 2017] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC420061/

Profeta T. Study Quantifies Climate-Change-Related Deaths [Internet]. National Geographic Society (blogs). 2017 [cited 10 August 2017]. Available from: https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2016/07/14/study-quantifies-climate-change-related-deaths/

France takes steps to avoid repeat of deadly 2003 heat wave - France 24 [Internet]. France 24. 2017 [cited 9 August 2017]. Available from: http://www.france24.com/en/20150701-france-paris-heat-wave-alert-deadly-2003-summer-guidelines

Image: http://www.france24.com/en/20150701-france-paris-heat-wave-alert-deadly-2003-summer-guidelines

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