Researchers warn that climate change is damaging the health of solid

With a view to a new global report on climate change and health, German doctors have called for a national heat protection plan.

The frequency, duration and intensity of heat waves increasing further, warned Klaus Reinhardt, President of the Federal chamber of physicians.

This calls for a better prepared emergency services, clinics, Old people’s and nursing homes. The health effects of climate change would not at some point in far-flung areas of the world, but here and now.

Climate change has consequences for the health

The medical journal “The Lancet” has now submitted a global report on the connection between climate change and health.

Half a month before the UN climate conference in Madrid, experts account for the current and future impact.

CO2 emissions continue as in the past, a child born today in his 71 am. Birthday in a cut, in a four degree warmer world, said. Already now, climate change is damaging the health of many people massively.

“The issue of health played in climate change in a long role,” explained Sabine Gabrysch, a Professor of climate change and health at the Charité hospital in Berlin.

The have changed. Already today the effects are being felt in this country, as an additional report by scientists for Germany.

More heart attacks and deaths due to climate change

According to an analysis of the Helmholtz centre in Munich, there are already more heart attacks and deaths due to cardiovascular diseases on hot days.

The Problem can get to the “The Lancet”report of other dimensions: If nothing changes on the emissions of greenhouse gases, the researchers until the end of this century, with annually, five additional heat waves in the North of Germany and with up to 30 more in the South of Germany.

In nursing homes, more staff is needed to ensure, for example, that seniors drink enough, said Reinhardt. In addition to Hitzschlägen otherwise, acute renal failure, threatened by lack of fluids.

Most of the heat, you are at risk besides the elderly, the Sick and workers, the infants, the chronically Outdoors, including construction workers and farmers.

“We understand it as our duty to name these effects in a clear and appropriate action.”

Transmission of infectious diseases

Ticks and mosquitoes as vectors of tropical infectious disease with rising temperatures in our Latitudes, an increasing role.

West Nile fever was detected in this year, for the first time in humans in Germany, the infected with the Virus when traveling abroad, but with the bite of indigenous mosquitoes.

Zika infections of mosquitoes native tiger were first reported from the South of France. The mosquitoes can also transmit Dengue and Chikungunya.

For Sebastian Ulbert vomFraunhofer Institute for cell therapy and immunology in Leipzig, German Doctors have to have a mosquito-transmitted pathogens in future “on the screen”.

“So, for example, the majority of West Nile Virus remained of this year, infections go undetected, because in the case of flu-like symptoms, no one thought of this pathogen.” Necessary training and a good test systems.

Allergy researchers Torsten Zuberbier of the Charité in Berlin, welcomes the Report. It is an important aspect missing him, however.

As a result of climate change has increased Pollen and the flowering period is extended. In addition, all the genes from the spread of plant species such as Ambrosia in Europe.

Climate change favors bacteria in the Baltic sea

A group of bacteria, the Vibrios comes, according to the Lancet report, as a growing risk in the Baltic sea. The pathogens can be gastrointestinal and wound infections cause.

Since the 1980s have doubled, due to higher water temperatures, the number of days you can become infected with Vibrios in the Baltic sea. In 2018, there were already 107 days.

Global climate change children are the most affected, – said Nick Watts, head of the international Lancet consortium.

Declines in harvest as a result of climate change and malnutrition as a result of you met, for example, at the worst. This includes people in 77 percent of the countries had to Fire more and more with forest fires and similar to fight.

Air pollution overall, led in 2016 of the world’s seven million deaths, 2.9 million of which had been caused by fine dust.

High burden from fine dust is bad for the health

In Germany, the fine dust levels (PM 2.5) was in 2016, according to the report, over 44.800 premature deaths, 8000 of which were the result of the combustion of coal.

Fine dust stems among other things from the market and the industry.

Global warming would, by contrast, the 1.5 ° is limited, as in the Paris climate agreement is desired and would be adhered to the promise of the countries from see it better for the future, according to the researchers.

A child in England could experience with six years in the coal phaseout in France, with 21 years of age, the farewell of petrol and diesel cars, and all of today’s Born in the world could experience at the age of 31, that only as much CO2 is produced by nature or by technical means can be taken.

At the same time, the air pure, and the infrastructure could be better.

Away from coal, and improved health systems

The authors have four main demands: A rapid and complete shift away from coal-generated electricity worldwide, as well as a security in favour of the rich countries promised to give to the poorer, from 2020, $ 100 billion a year in climate assistance.

In addition, it is necessary to promote public transport and walking and Cycling.

It is important also to invest in health systems, so that you can help global warming-damaged people, and not collapse.

Source

  • Watts, Nick / Amann, Markus Amann / Arnell, Nigel / Ayeb-Karlsson, Sonja / Belesova, Kristine / Boykoff, Maxwell et. al. (2019): The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate, retrieved on 14.11.2019. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32596-6/fulltext

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

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