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The impact of climate change is so great that it could undermine the last 50 years of gains in global health, according to the Lancet Commission report.
Weather extremes made worse by climate change are potentially destructive and unacceptable, says Commission's project leader Nicolas Watts.
"In terms of drought, we often see corresponding decreases in agricultural productivity, which then in turn has a profound impact on malnutrition, particularly for children."
Increasingly, it's just hotter, which can be deadly. An extreme heat wave in 2003 left 70,000 people dead across Europe. And those sorts of events are expected to increase in intensity and severity as time goes on.
The World Health Organization warns that unless dramatic action is taken to reduce global warming emissions by 2030, approximately 250,000 people will die each year from the effects of climate change.
Outdoor air pollution is linked to some three million deaths worldwide. Watts says a shift from coal-fired power plants to renewable energy can greatly reduce that danger. "We see immediate declines in hospital admissions and in health care costs, which reduces the burden of already struggling health budgets. But there are also benefits to be found outside of the energy sector, you can decrease the reliance on cars and motor vehicles, and try to encourage active transport like cycling and walking, you reduce the carbon emission from that sector, but you also decrease the rates of diabetes and obesity." he said.
Among its recommendations, the Commission supports a phase-out of coal power plants, expansion of renewable energy, investment in health systems and a commitment to a strong global climate treaty. Watts says public health is at the core of a new global agreement.
"Most of what you want to do to respond to climate change is good for public health, and it is actually a much brighter future." Watts says health care professionals can be advocates in the battle against climate change, he says what is good for the planet is good for patient care.
Question 23. What's the impact of drought according to Watts?
Question 24. What can reduce the deaths linked to air pollution according to Watts?
Question 25. What is at the core of a new global agreement?
根據《柳葉刀》雜志委員會，氣候變化非常嚴重，可能破壞過去50年我們在全球健康問題上取得的成就。
委員會的項目領導尼古拉斯·瓦特說，氣候變化導致的極端天氣可能是毀滅性的和無法承受的。
“干旱會導致農業生產力降低，而農業生產力下降反過來又會對營養不良問題產生重大影響，尤其是兒童營養不良。”
天氣漸漸越來越熱，這可能會致命。2003年的極端熱浪天氣導致歐洲7萬人死亡。未來這些情況可能會越來越頻發，越來越嚴重。
世界衛生組織警告，若不在2030年以前快速采取行動減少全球溫室氣體的排放，每年將會有約25萬人死于氣候變化的影響。
全球有 300 萬人的死亡與戶外空氣污染有關。瓦特認為從燃煤發電轉向可再生能源可以有效降低這一危險。“我們看到入院立即減少，醫療花費立馬降低，這會減輕垂死針扎的醫療預算負擔。但是除能源部門之外，還有其他好處，你可以減少對汽車和機動車輛的依賴，去嘗試諸如騎自行車和步行之類的主動活動，這樣可以減少碳排放，還能降低患糖尿病和肥胖癥的幾率。”他說。
在這些建議中，委員會支持逐漸淘汰煤礦發電廠、擴大使用可再生能源、投資健康系統并遵守全球氣候條約。瓦特認為公眾健康是新的全球協議的核心。
“為了回應氣候變化，你想做的多數事都對公共健康有益，這其實意味著一個更加美好的未來。”瓦特說保健專業人員在對抗氣候變化的斗爭中可以充當提倡者的角色，他說對地球有益的事情同樣對照顧病人有益。
問題23 根據瓦特，干旱有什么影響？
問題24 根據瓦特，什么可以減少與空氣污染有關的死亡？
問題25 新的全球協議的核心是什么？
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