The Obama administration released a comprehensive report Monday on the impact of climate change on health in the U.S. The report is the culmination of a three-year-long collaborative effort between approximately 100 climate change and public health experts from HHS, NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Here are seven key takeaways from The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment.
1. Extreme temperatures: Rising global temperatures are expected to lead to thousands of premature, heat-related deaths in the U.S. Experts predict the increase in heat-related deaths will outpace the decrease in deaths related to the extreme cold. The rising temperatures will also escalate the likelihood of a variety of illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory and renal conditions. Incidence of diabetes, hyperthermia, mental health issues and preterm births are also likely to increase.
2. Air quality: The presence of air pollution and airborne allergens in the atmosphere is likely to surge as well. This will exacerbate health issues among those with asthma and allergies. The changes in ozone and the influx of air pollutants are expected to lead to hundreds to thousands of premature deaths and hospital admissions in the U.S. in 2030.
3. Extreme events: The warming global temperatures will coincide with more frequent and intense events, such as drought, wildfires and flooding due to storms like hurricanes. These extreme events can result in the disruption and destruction of infrastructure and can hinder access to power, water, transportation and communication. These elements are crucial to facilitating access to healthcare and emergency response services.
4. Mosquitoes: The prevalence of mosquito-borne viruses like West Nile will likely increase with the rising temperatures and alter precipitation patterns, making the U.S. more habitable for disease-spreading vectors like the mosquitoes that carry West Nile. One such mosquito species, the Aedes aegypti, is currently the primary transmitter of the Zika virus in the Americas.
5. Food safety: As events such as flooding and drought increase, so too will many foodborne illnesses. The CDC currently estimates that there are 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses with approximately 3,000 deaths linked to those cases annually.
6. Vulnerable populations: The adverse effects of climate change will also affect the population disproportionally within the U.S. The groups most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change are communities of color, low income families, immigrants, geographically isolated indigenous peoples, pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with disabilities and chronic medical conditions.
7. Additional actions: Along with the report, the White House announced Monday that the administration will take additional actions to communicate and combat the effects of climate change on public health. The new initiatives include expanding a presidential task force dedicated to protecting children from environmental harm, creating a climate-ready initiative for tribes and territories, and updating the sustainable and climate resilient toolkit for healthcare facilities.