global warming why health professionals care

Global Warming:Why Public Health Professionals Care,

and Why You Should Too.

Ed Maibach, MPH, PhDProfessor, George Mason UniversityPublic health professional since 1982

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Agenda

4 things you need to know about global warming:

It’s real

We’re causing it

It’s bad for us*

We can solve it*

Global warming is real.

“(The) warming of (our) climate is unequivocal.”Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007)

Warming is only part of the story

We’re causing climate change.

Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the … increase in (human-caused)green-house gas concentrations (in our atmosphere).

—IPCC (2007)

You, me, and everyone

But some more than others...

Carbon emissions, 2000worldmapper.org

“We need to… convince the world that humanity really is the most important species endangered by climate change.”

—Margaret Chan, MD, Director-General, World Health Organization

“Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats facing our nation. Yet few Americans are aware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families and our children.”

—Georges Benjamin, MD, Executive Director

American Public Health Association

Climate change is bad for people.

Climate Change ➜ Rising Temperature

Extreme Temperatures ➜ Heat Stress

August 2003: 34,000 deaths in France alone.

Climate Change ➜ Extreme Weather

Stronger storms (& rising sea level) ➜ Injuries, fatalities

Climate Change ➜ Extreme Weather

Droughts & Floods ➜ Water & Food Scarcity & Safety Problems

Climate Change ➜ Reduced Air Quality Air pollution ➜ Asthma, Cardiovascular Disease

Pollens ➜ Allergies ➜ Respiratory problem

Climate Change ➜ Disrupted Ecosystems

Disruptions ➜ New Opportunities for Diseases To Thrive

Regional variations

Northwest

Southwest

The GreatPlains

Southwest Atlantic and Gulf Coast

Midwest And Northeast

Northeast

Alaska

Southwest• Degraded air quality

• Urban Heat Island

• Heat Waves

• Wildfires

• Early Snow Melt

• Drought

• Extreme rainfall/ Flooding

• Sea-level Rise

Killed by Drought, 1975-2000worldmapper.org

Killed by Floods, 1975-2000worldmapper.org

Carbon emissions, 2000worldmapper.org

Killed by Storms, 1975-2000worldmapper.org

Climate Change ➜ Sea-level Rise & Extreme Temperature & Weather

Increased poverty, starvation, armed conflict environmental refugees, anxiety, post-traumatic stress,

depression, despair

Climate change is a problem we can solve.

Because our actions are causing the problem,our actions can slow the problem.Our actions can eventually stop the problem.

Is this the world we want to leave to our children?

Small actions – Big impacts

Veggie lunch = 72 balloons of CO2 prevented

= 10 lb. CO2= <1 lb. CO2

We can take actions as consumers

In what we do at homeIn how we travelIn what we eatIn what we buyIn how we work

We can encourage changes in our city’s or county’s policies

• Their goal: Reduce municipal carbon emission 21% by 2012 (starting in ‘03)

• Result: A reduction of 31% by 2006 – that’s 148% of goal 6 years ahead of schedule

We can encourage changes in state and national policies

We can solve this problem.

We get this

Instead of this

Instead of this

We get this

Instead of this

We get this

Instead of this

We get this

Lower CO2 Emissions

Increased Physical Activity

Less Osteoporosis

Fewer Injuries

Lower Air Pollution

Lower Infrastructure Costs

Increased Social Capital

Less Depression

Increased Happiness

Questions?

Summary

Climate change:

It’s real

We’re causing it

It’s bad for us

We can solve it, if we act now.

Taking the actions necessary to solve the problem will re-make our communities into nicer, healthier, happier places to live.

Thank you.