Climate change is much more than an issue of environment; it has wide impacts on our health, happiness, and security. Mainly this work focuses on the impacts of climate change in Australia – the country that experiences vulnerable climatic conditions. From heat waves, to increased vulnerability to hurricanes or other disasters, the latter has adverse effects on the health of the public. This blog explores how climate change impacts public health in Australia with a focus on what can be done to prevent it.
What Is Climate Change?
Climate change means the alteration of weather patterns on the planet over long periods, and mostly due to the rise in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These gases retain heat and make the global climate warm up. In Australia, the climate has warmed by an average of 1.4°C since 1910, and the effects are already being felt through:
- Increased hot days and hot nights
- Prolonged fire seasons
- Less infiltration by rain water in cooler months
- Seas are becoming higher and coasts are eroding
If no immediate measures are taken, conditions could worsen – an indicator of the impacts of climate change on public health in the region.
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Direct Impact of Climate Change on Public Health
Heat-Related Illnesses:
Temperatures and heat waves are both on the rise, which poses a greater threat to heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration. The most affected populations are those with tender ages, and the sick persons such as the elderly, and persons with weak immune systems as well.
Data: Heatwaves have been found to be more lethal to Australians than any other natural disaster, killing 55 percent of all disaster fatalities.
Extreme Weather Events:
Natural disasters such as bush fires, floods and storms are happening more often and are more severe than in the past. Some of the effects of these events can lead to danger such as getting injured, respiratory complications arising from effects of smoke, and mental disorders arising from stress triggers.
Insights: The Australian bushfires of 2019-2020 claimed 33 human lives directly, and more than 400 deaths from the effects of smoke. These events explain that impact of climate change in Australia are both immediate and major.
Indirect Climate Impacts on Our Health
Air Quality:
Transportation through fossil energy and bushfires produce emissions of contaminants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Continued exposure to these chemicals is dangerous as it results in worsening of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Insight: Bushfire smoke that occurred in 2020 led to an estimation of 445 deaths, 3340 hospitalizations, and 1373 people visiting the emergency department due to asthma. This is one of the ways that climate impacts on our health in ways that cannot be easily quantified.
Spread of Infectious Diseases:
Global warming fosters better conditions for the proliferation of mosquitoes which spread diseases wrongly associated with cold climates. Conditions such as Ross River virus and Murray Valley encephalitis will increase in occurrence.
Data: Research by Australia shows an increase in the mosquito-borne diseases by 15% after extreme rainfall and floods in 2022. This shows the increase in disease risk caused by the impact of climate change in Australia.
Food and Water Safety:
Food safety issues can be caused by high temperatures since bacteria, for example, Salmonella, become active in warm weather conditions. Huge accumulation of water floods water sources and which consequently pollutes the water which is capable of causing waterborne diseases.
Mental Health:
Disasters arise from climate crises that cause anxiety, depression as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many people have to live with this shock of losing their homes, their means of income, and their dear ones.
Insight: The study revealed that out of the population of Australians that was hit by the Black Saturday bushfires, about 9 percent of them tremendously suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Who Is Most at Risk?
Certain groups are more vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change:
- Children: Sensitivity to heat discomfort, direct water shortage, and airborne respiratory ailments.
- Pregnant Women: Heat stress, and a propensity of developing complications arising from air pollution in Australia.
- Elderly and Chronically Ill: Higher chances of getting dehydrated, heat stroke or an adverse reaction to any ailment a patient is suffering from.
- Rural and Indigenous Communities: Lower overall health care access and increased vulnerability to climatologic disphases.
Measures to Prevent Climate Impacts on Our Health
While the challenges are significant, there are steps individuals and communities can take to mitigate the health impacts of climate change:
Stay Safe in Heatwaves:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Reduce your physical exertion levels especially when the sun is most intense.
- Relate to cooling equipment and spend time where there is less direct sunlight or humidity.
Reduce Exposure to Air Pollution:
- Check air quality forecasts.
- Reduce physical time spent outdoors during days of high levels of air pollution.
- Use air purifiers indoors.
Prevent Mosquito-Borne Diseases:
- Cover up your skin and use insect repellent.
- Drain water from areas near your home, especially those portions not in use for some time.
Build Community Resilience:
- Back up local climate change mitigation activities.
- Inform yourself and others about the climate implications for human health.
Adopt Sustainable Practices:
- If possible avoid car travel and if unavoidable then try to use public transport or even better walking and cycling.
- Regulation of portion sizes or portions per customer, and encouragement of savvy markdown techniques, plant based diets.
- Save energy at home with the help of new technology appliances.
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Conclusion
Addressing the impact of climate change in Australia requires collective effort. All efforts, from saving a watt of energy to campaigning for an environmentally friendly policy, make the world and neighborhood a better place to live. It remains very important to act at this time, prevent and save ourselves and posterity from the relapse of the dreaded diseases.
