Climate Change and the impact on Human Health

Climate change will have multiple effects on human health, especially the vector-borne and waterborne infectious diseases.

Climate change is occurring as a result of an imbalance between incoming and outgoing radiation in the atmosphere. The solar radiations enter the atmosphere which is then absorbed by the greenhouse gases which is then cannot be effectively removed from the atmosphere because of deforestation. This process generates heat. Due to which the hydrological cycle will be altered, as a result, some geographic area will have more rainfall, and some drought, and severe weather events including heat waves and storms. Climate change is expected to have a considerable impact on the infectious diseases that are transmitted by insect vectors and through contaminated water.

Insect vectors tend to be more active at higher temperatures. For example, tropical mosquitoes such as Anopheles species, which transmit malaria, require temperatures above 16°C to complete their life cycles.

Like vector-borne diseases, waterborne infectious diseases are also strongly affected by climate. During times of drought, water scarcity results in poor sanitation, and much of the population can be exposed to potentially contaminated water.

It is predicted that by 2030 there will be 10% more diarrheal disease than there would have been with no climate change and that it will primarily affect the health of young children.