Air pollution, allergens, extreme heat and cold, increased risk of various diseases, less food safety, more wildfires and harsher storms can all be expected if climate change is not abated, according to a new White House report.
“The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment,” released Monday afternoon, paints a dire picture of a future in which climate change continues on its current track.
Developed over the last three years by climate and public health experts, the report is a litany of different ways U.S. residents can be sickened or die due to the effects of climate change.
“As the climate continues to change, the risks to human health will grow, exacerbating existing health threats and creating new public health challenges, and impacting more people in more places,” a White House fact sheet says. “From children to the elderly, every American is vulnerable to the health impacts associated with climate change, now and in the future.”
Many scientists believe climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, causing the subsequent warming of the globe.
Among the predictions in the report are ozone-related air pollution that could lead to hundreds of thousands premature deaths and a longer ragweed pollen season that can cause worse allergies.
The report also predicts heat waves will kill tens of thousands of people each summer, outpacing the predicted decreases in deaths from extreme cold. Heat waves may kill 11,000 more people in 2030 and 27,000 more people in 2100.
Those warmer temperatures could come earlier in the year, which could mean Lyme disease would increase in the eastern U.S. Water-borne illnesses from runoff in more intense rainstorms could make recreational waters, places where shellfish are harvested and drinking water more dangerous.
Food safety also may be compromised. Increased flooding in some parts of the country and drought in others could lead to pathogens being spread in agricultural environments, putting food at risk of being contaminated and leading more people to be exposed to toxins.
“This will increase health risks and require greater vigilance in food safety practices and regulation,” the fact sheet stated.
Extreme weather conditions caused by climate change also will make people’s underlying medical conditions worse, according to the report. Disruptions to infrastructure such as power, water, transportation and communications systems also could limit access to healthcare and hamper emergency response.
Mental health could be harmed, too. The possible effects range from slight stress to anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts. Those effects would be brought on by climate change-related events such as hurricanes, flood and drought, according to the report.
The report says minority communities, poor people, immigrants, non-English speakers, Native Americans, pregnant women, children, older adults, outdoor workers, disabled people and people with chronic medical conditions would be most affected by the various dire consequences of climate change.
The White House is hosting an event Monday afternoon focused on the report where Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and other top administration officials will discuss the impact of climate change on public health.
