Climate change and human health in Europe

Editorials by Brundtland and Pershagen

Evidence that our world is warming has become stronger in recent years. Scientists have now confirmed that these changes are due to human activities.1 This century the average annual temperature in most of Europe has increased by about 0.8°C.2 Warming has been particularly great during the past two decades and in the middle to high latitudes (fig 1). In the Alps, temperature increases have exceeded 1°C above the long term mean. Northern Europe has become wetter, but a region encompassing the Mediterranean and central Europe has become significantly drier.2 Scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast a 1°C-3.5°C increase in average global temperature by 2100.1 Although there is considerable uncertainty in forecasting regional and local changes in climate in Europe, it is likely that these observed trends will continue.2

The potential impact of a global climate change on human health has been identified as a priority for research and action in the next century, and this will be debated at a forthcoming ministerial conference on the environment and health. Our paper reviews the state of current knowledge for the WHO European region. Climate change will not affect human health in isolation, but will do so simultaneously with other ecological and demographic changes. It should be noted that effects on other regions surrounding Europe (Africa and Asia) may be of considerable importance for the European region as well.