Climate change is already damaging the health of millions worldwide, according to a report published this week by The Lancet.
In addition to the deaths caused by disasters related to global warming such as the increased number of hurricanes and wildfires, the research conducted by a group of leading academics and policy professionals found that there are many other climate impacts that are also damaging.
Just one of many such examples is the alteration in the transmission patterns of infectious diseases from the changing weather patterns, which has resulted in unexpected outbreaks of malaria, cholera, and West Nile virus.
Also, the report shows that fine particulate matter and other local air pollution in cities kills approximately 2.6 million people annually worldwide.
UN Climate Change executive secretary Patricia Espinosa and The Lancet editor-in-chief Richard Horton wrote in Time Magazine that what is the most troubling is that the dangers the world is facing today is only the beginning, and progress made towards tackling the problems could be undermined by inaction.
Although the danger is clear, the authors say the good news is that the solution is quite straightforward: "We simply must stop burning fossil fuels and releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, transitioning to clean, renewable energy resources."
Espinosa and Horton stressed that climate change should not only be seen as an environmental issue but a massive public health challenge. They said the gathering of some 20,000 delegates at the two-week UN climate conference starting on Nov. 6 in Bonn is a chance to send a clear message.
"Without aggressive action, the public health problems we're seeing today risk intensifying to a widespread health emergency," the authors wrote. "With ambitious action, however, we can both rein in long term warming and — by cleaning the air of fossil fuel-borne pollution - we can start improving health and saving lives right away."
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