Climate and Health Research A European perspective
28
Climate and Health Research A European perspective Øjvind Lidegaard Professor Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Rigshospitalet University of Copenhagen
description
Climate and Health Research A European perspective. Øjvind Lidegaard Professor Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Rigshospitalet University of Copenhagen. Climate change and global health. Four steps Realize how profound the anthropogenic climate changes are - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Climate and Health Research A European perspective
Climate and Health ResearchA European perspective
Øjvind LidegaardProfessor
Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Rigshospitalet
University of Copenhagen
Climate change and global health
Four steps
• Realize how profound the anthropogenic climate changes are
• Understand the impact of these changes on global health
• Take advantage of the different roles we have as health professionals
• Act
Earth development 4,600 My
My before present
4600
3500 First life
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500 Life on land
0
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
Earth development 4,600 My
My before present
4600 400 trees
3500 350 fish
3000 First life 300 first ice
2500 250 reptiles
2000 200 dinosaurs
1500 150 mammals
1000 100 flowers
500 Life on land 50 ice again
0 0
Dee
p o
cean
dri
lls
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
CO2 in atmosphere through last 400 My
1000
500
1000
3000
23002000
600270
3000
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
ppm
www.stratigraphy.org
Icepresent
My
Din
osau
rs
Rep
tiles
Flo
wer
sM
amm
als
Fis
h
Tre
es
Ext
inct
ion
even
t
Mesozoic CenozoicPaleozoicEra
Eon P h a n e r o z o i c
Icepresent
CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My
600 575525
485425 415 410 405 380 400
250
0
200
400
600
800
1000
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
ppm
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
My
Development in mammals
Paleogene period (65-23 My BP) Neogene (23 My - now)
C E N O Z O I C E R A Kænozoikum
Antarctic glaciation
Ice free worldSea level 80 mabove present
Paleogene (35 My BP)
CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My
600 575525
485425 415 410 405 380 400
250
0
200
400
600
800
1000
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
ppm
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
My
Development in mammals
Paleogene period (65-23 My BP) Neogene (23 My - now)
C E N O Z O I C E R A Kænozoikum
Antarctic glaciation
Ice free worldSea level 80 mabove present
CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My
390
350
310275
240
100
200
300
400
500
5 4 3 2 1 0
ppm
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
My
Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP) Pleistocene (1.8-0.01)
N E O G E N E P E R I O D
Last time CO2 was at the same high as today.
At that time sea level was 20-30 m above present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher
Pliocene (4 My BP)
CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My
390
350
310275
240
100
200
300
400
500
5 4 3 2 1 0
ppm
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
My
Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP) Pleistocene (1.8-0.01)
N E O G E N E P E R I O D
Last time CO2 was at the same high as today.
At that time sea level was 20-30 m above present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher
Earth development 4,600 My My 1000 years .
4600 400 trees
3500 350 fish 700
3000 First life 300 first ice 600
2500 250 reptiles 500 Homo erectus
2000 200 dinosaurs 400
1500 150 mammals 300
1000 100 flowers 200
500 Life on land 50 ice again 100 Homo sapiens
0 0 0
Dee
p o
cean
dri
lls
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science BasisIc
e co
res
5oC
CO2 and temperature through last 640,000 years
Holocene
Greenhouse gases through last 2,000 years
Holocene
Climate and health
Global health threads by climate changes are primarily a consequence of
• Damages after hurricanes and cyclones
• Homelessness for millions after floods
• Climate refugees, unsustainable migration
• Disintegration of civil infrastructures
• Shortage of drinking water
• Starvation <= population↑, food production↓
• Expanding areas of vector-borne diseases
Commitment of health professionals
Health professionals have four roles
• They are members of strong professional international networks e.g. WMA.
• They are professional health managers
• They contribute with new knowledge through research
• They are citizens as all other citizens
We can and we should act adequately and timely within each of these four roles
Lidegaard & Ricketts (Eds). Climate change and health care. WMA 2009
Commitment of health professionals
Professional networks
• Inform about short- and long term global health impact of climate change
• Stress that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century
• Demand immediate mitigation initiatives
• Initiate research in health consequences of climate change
Costello et al. Lancet 2009; 373: 1693-1733
Commitment of health professionals
Health managers and advisors• Inform about short- and long term local
health impact of climate change• Focusing on initiatives which improve
public health and global climate at the same time (less use of fossil fuel, diet changes, physical activity)
• Disclose personal views on climate change
Costello et al. Lancet 2009; 373: 1693-1733
Commitment of health professionals
Research in climate and health
• European health consequences of
- increased temperature
- changed precipitation pattern
- melting glaciers
Aletsch Glacier (CH)
Commitment of health professionals
Research in climate and health
• European health consequences of
- increased temperature
- changed precipitation pattern
- melting glaciers
- more frequent extreme weather
• European health benefits of mitigation initiatives
• European adaptive health initiatives
Research in climate and healthEuropean health benefits of mitigation initiatives
• Physical activity from car to bicycle
Adiposity, diabetes, CaVD, cancer
• Changed diet from meat to vegetables
Adiposity, diabetes, CaVD, cancer
• Urban transportation (car transp ->bicycling)
Airway diseases, adiposity, CaVD, cancer
• Reduced consumption – environment
Male reproductive function (TDS)
Research in climate and health European adaptive health initiatives
• Mobile emergency units
to areas hit by extreme weather events
• Modules in all health educations on climate change and health consequences
• Reproductive perspectives impact of access to safe contraception and legal abortion for controlling population growth
• Physical activity – CaVD, cancer, DM, quality of life, life length,
Research in climate and health Professional health organisations
• Construction of sustainable health institutions
buildings, equipment, food, transportation
• Electronic real time video communication in replacement for distant personal meetings
• Waste policy re-cycling equipment
• Environmental footprint of health care sector describe, integrate and recommend green professional practices.
Commitment of health professionals
As member of the general society
• Limiting long distance flights
• Reduce private fossil fuel consumption
• Reduce energy consumption (50%)
• Combine physical activity with personal transportation (e.g. bicycle transportation)
• Learn your children to behave responsible
• Involvement in local initiatives
Thank you
www.Lidegaard.dk / slides
