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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Global warming and human health: hazards of rising famine
- David Gurwitz (3 December 2005)
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Health and Climate change: Proactivity is a hard slog
- david j kinshuck (4 December 2005)
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Much more to be done than stockpiling sandbags
- Ian Roberts (7 December 2005)
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David Gurwitz, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
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Bettina Menne critical call upon the health sector to shift from a reactive to a proactive attitude is both timely and urgent, and should hopefully lead to fast action. Yet, the sad truth is that the most significant threat for human health from man-made global climate changes is famine. Global climate changes already lead to draughts and reduced agricultural productivity in sub-Sahara African nations (1,2), and a similar reduced food production was recorded in Europe following the heat wave of summer 2003 (3). We should thus be worried not just about the health effects of hotter European summers, rising incidence of infectious diseases and higher allergen concentrations. Rather, we must recall that the greatest hazard to human health from global warming remains famine. Indeed, certain models predict that global warming could lead to a global doubling of the number of hunger-related deaths (4, 5). Just two examples as an illustration for the acute effects of global warming on global food production: rice yields reportedly decline with higher night temperatures (6); fishery yields in the Northeast Atlantic are expected to decline along with declined phytoplankton levels in its warmer waters (7). It is time to wake up and act – too many lives are at stake! References 1. Timberlake L. (1985) The Sahel: drought, desertification and famine. Draper Fund Rep. 14:17-19. 2. Murray S. (2005) Hunger without borders. CMAJ. 173:586. 3. Ciais P, Reichstein M, Viovy N et al (2005) Europe-wide reduction in primary productivity caused by the heat and drought in 2003. Nature. 437:529-533. 4. Daily GC, Ehrlich PR. (1990) An exploratory model of the impact of rapid climate change on the world food situation. Proc Biol Sci. 241:232- 244. 5. Porter JR. (2005) Rising temperatures are likely to reduce crop yields. Nature. 436:174. 6. Peng S, Huang J, Sheehy JE, et al (2004) Rice yields decline with higher night temperature from global warming. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 101:9971-9975 7. Richardson AJ, Schoeman DS. (2004) Climate impact on plankton ecosystems in the Northeast Atlantic. Science. 305:1609-1612. Competing interests: None declared |
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david j kinshuck, associate specialist in ophthalmology Good Hope Hospital, B75 7RR
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Menne and Bertollini point out that the health sector should become proactive, and not remain reactive. But such proactivity can be very frustrating. Here are examples that will be familiar to many. Here in Birmingham Local Primary Care Trusts, public health physicians, and ophthalmologists, have teamed up with cycling and walking groups to try and persuade local transport planners to make cycling and walking safer and more popular. Yet such planners, encouraged by Department of Transport legislation, have deemed that the West Midlands should have 260 miles of red routes (most of which will have no bus lanes or cycle lanes). This will increase traffic and traffic speed further. There are no plans for a cycle network, no plans for slower speeds in residential areas, no major cycle training initiative, all of which would be politically acceptable. With more traffic and fast speeds both cycling and walking will remain unnecessarily dangerous and unpopular. European Union advice (1) is completely ignored. Further afield legislation has determined that smoking will still be allowed in many bars, and alcohol is even more widely available. This is despite the efforts of many organisations, including the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Being proactive is one thing, getting results is another. 1 Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities (European Communities 1999) http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/cycling/cycling_en.pdf Competing interests: cycling/walking campaigner |
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Ian Roberts, Professor of Public Health London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
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Menne and Bertollini call on health professionals to be more proactive in responding to climate change. Their main concern is that we prepare for a warmer wetter world. But there is much more to be done than simply preparing for the flood. For example, they pay scant attention to the steps doctors can take to reduce their own carbon dioxide emissions, whether at work, at home or in between, in order to reduce the chances of catastrophic climate change in the future. Doctors are a highly energy intensive group. They fly to conferences, take exotic holidays, drive gas guzzling cars, and burn it up big at home. They could take the lead by stopping flying, avoiding all unnecessary travel, walking or cycling, insulating their homes, hospitals and offices, only purchasing the most energy efficient appliances and by lobbying for the use of renewable energy sources and against the use of fossil fuels. The BMJ could help them with this by publishing a series of articles on low carbon living, perhaps as part of career focus. Doctors could measure their own carbon footprint and advise their patients to do the same. They could support the introduction of personal carbon rationing recognising that this mechanism of averting catastrophic climate change would also provide a policy context that would promote physical activity, prevent injury, create safer environments for children, and reduce socio-economic inequality. They could explain to their patients and to policy makers that carbon rationing can and should become the foundation for improving public health in Britain and world-wide. Competing interests: None declared |
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