Adur & Worthing Councils, UK Adur & Worthing Climate Assembly, 15 Oct 2020

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: Kate Bailey - Impact on Adur & Worthing Health & Wellbeing I #AWClimateAssembly

Description

For more information, please visit:
Facebook: http://fb.me/AdurandWorthingCouncils
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/adurandworthing
Website: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk

A

Hello, I'm kate, bailey public health consultant working in west sussex county council. This presentation summarizes the health impacts of climate change.

A

The west sussex climate change strategy describes how health and climate are linked. It says, for example, by addressing the climate change agenda. We cannot fail to consider the risk it poses to population health. However, what's good for us is also good for the planet.

A

The health impacts from climate change are likely to be due to the following factors: exposure to heat and cold air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, flooding, changes in pollen changes to food safety and food prices, or availability indoor risks, including disruption to services and, finally, emerging infections.

A

Some factors will make people more vulnerable to these impacts. These include increasing age, pre-existing medical conditions and social deprivation.

A

The scale of the impacts across the population will depend upon the extent to which the population is aging. How well we manage long-term conditions, the health inequalities gap, but also geographical factors.

A

How successful we are in mitigating or adapting to climate change will also affect the scale of the health impact.

A

So explaining each factor in turn, firstly, heat and cold impacts. The south of england is most vulnerable to hot weather and heat waves are associated with increased deaths and illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, kidney and respiratory disorders.

A

Cold impacts are likely to contribute. The majority of health effects in the coming decades, however, by the 2080s is projected that cold health burden may start to decline compared with present day levels.

A

Elderly people are more vulnerable to both extreme heat and cold, so the future burden on health will be amplified by an aging population.

A

Air pollution causes adverse effects across all population groups. It's linked to respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. There's also growing evidence of links with other conditions, such as dementia, low birth weight and type 2 diabetes.

A

With warmer summers in the uk, this may increase our exposure to ultraviolet radiation and, in turn, our risk of some skin cancers. This needs to be balanced, though, by the benefits of a moderate exposure to the sun, which is beneficial through the production of vitamin d.

A

Climate change will increase river and coastal flood risks, flooding impacts on people's mental health and also leads to problems due to disruption of critical supplies of utilities such as electricity and water, which in turn can cause health problems like gastroenteritis.

A

People in the uk spend most of their time indoors, and climate change can exacerbate health risks associated with building overheating, indoor, air pollution and flood damage. This affects not only homes but services such as hospitals or care homes.

A

Several other factors impact on health as a result of climate change, allergy sufferers may experience longer pollen seasons, emerging diseases such as increases in tick-borne diseases like lyme disease or new diseases, all together to the uk, so-called exotic pathogens, may start to be seen.

A

The increased temperatures will allow pathogens such as salmonella, to grow more readily in food, posing a food safety challenge, and then climate change may raise food prices, possibly impacting on the access to a healthy diet.

A

So that's a summary of the health impacts of climate change. Remember what's good, for us is also good for the planet.

A

And these are the sources and references I've used in my presentation. Thank you.