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Climate and Health Research A European perspective

Climate and Health Research A European perspective. Øjvind Lidegaard Professor Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Rigshospitalet University of Copenhagen. Climate change and global health. Four steps Realize how profound the anthropogenic climate changes are

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Climate and Health Research A European perspective

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  1. Climate and Health ResearchA European perspective Øjvind Lidegaard Professor Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Rigshospitalet University of Copenhagen

  2. Climate change and global health Four steps Realize how profound the anthropogenic climate changes are Understand the impact of these changes on global health Take advantage of the different roles we have as health professionals Act

  3. Earth development 4,600 My My before present 4600 3500 First life 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 Life on land 0 IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  4. Earth development 4,600 My My before present 4600 400 trees 3500 350 fish 3000 First life 300 first ice 2500 250 reptiles 2000 200 dinosaurs 1500 150 mammals 1000 100 flowers 500 Life on land 50 ice again 0 0 Deep ocean drills IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  5. CO2 in atmosphere through last 400 My Eon P h a n e r o z o i c Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic Era Ice present Ice present ppm Extinction event Dinosaurs Mammals Reptiles Flowers Trees Fish My www.stratigraphy.org

  6. CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My C E N O Z O I C E R A Kænozoikum ppm Paleogene period (65-23 My BP) Neogene (23 My - now) Antarctic glaciation Ice free worldSea level 80 mabove present Development in mammals My IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  7. Paleogene (35 My BP)

  8. CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My C E N O Z O I C E R A Kænozoikum ppm Paleogene period (65-23 My BP) Neogene (23 My - now) Antarctic glaciation Ice free worldSea level 80 mabove present Development in mammals My IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  9. CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My N E O G E N E P E R I O D ppm Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP) Pleistocene (1.8-0.01) Last time CO2 was at the same high as today. At that time sea level was 20-30 m above present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher My IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  10. Pliocene (4 My BP)

  11. CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My N E O G E N E P E R I O D ppm Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP) Pleistocene (1.8-0.01) Last time CO2 was at the same high as today. At that time sea level was 20-30 m above present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher My IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  12. Earth development 4,600 My My 1000 years . 4600 400 trees 3500 350 fish 700 3000 First life 300 first ice 600 2500 250 reptiles 500 Homo erectus 2000 200 dinosaurs 400 1500 150 mammals 300 1000 100 flowers 200 500 Life on land 50 ice again 100 Homo sapiens 0 0 0 Deep ocean drills Ice cores IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis

  13. CO2 and temperature through last 640,000 years 5oC

  14. Holocene

  15. Greenhouse gases through last 2,000 years

  16. Holocene

  17. Climate and health Global health threads by climate changes are primarily a consequence of • Damages after hurricanes and cyclones • Homelessness for millions after floods • Climate refugees, unsustainable migration • Disintegration of civil infrastructures • Shortage of drinking water • Starvation <= population↑, food production↓ • Expanding areas of vector-borne diseases

  18. Commitment of health professionals Health professionals have four roles • They are members of strong professional international networks e.g. WMA. • They are professional health managers • They contribute with new knowledge through research • They are citizens as all other citizens We can and we should act adequately and timely within each of these four roles Lidegaard & Ricketts (Eds). Climate change and health care. WMA 2009

  19. Commitment of health professionals Professional networks • Inform about short- and long term global health impact of climate change • Stress that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century • Demand immediate mitigation initiatives • Initiate research in health consequences of climate change Costello et al. Lancet 2009; 373: 1693-1733

  20. Commitment of health professionals Health managers and advisors • Inform about short- and long term local health impact of climate change • Focusing on initiatives which improve public health and global climate at the same time (less use of fossil fuel, diet changes, physical activity) • Disclose personal views on climate change Costello et al. Lancet 2009; 373: 1693-1733

  21. Commitment of health professionals Research in climate and health • European health consequences of - increased temperature - changed precipitation pattern - melting glaciers

  22. Aletsch Glacier (CH)

  23. Commitment of health professionals Research in climate and health • European health consequences of - increased temperature - changed precipitation pattern - melting glaciers - more frequent extreme weather • European health benefits of mitigation initiatives • European adaptive health initiatives

  24. Research in climate and health European health benefits of mitigation initiatives • Physical activity from car to bicycle Adiposity, diabetes, CaVD, cancer • Changed diet from meat to vegetables Adiposity, diabetes, CaVD, cancer • Urban transportation (car transp ->bicycling) Airway diseases, adiposity, CaVD, cancer • Reduced consumption – environment Male reproductive function (TDS)

  25. Research in climate and health European adaptive health initiatives • Mobile emergency units to areas hit by extreme weather events • Modules in all health educations on climate change and health consequences • Reproductive perspectives impact of access to safe contraception and legal abortion for controlling population growth • Physical activity – CaVD, cancer, DM, quality of life, life length,

  26. Research in climate and health Professional health organisations • Construction of sustainable health institutions buildings, equipment, food, transportation • Electronic real time video communicationin replacement for distant personal meetings • Waste policy re-cycling equipment • Environmental footprint of health care sector describe, integrate and recommend green professional practices.

  27. Commitment of health professionals As member of the general society • Limiting long distance flights • Reduce private fossil fuel consumption • Reduce energy consumption (50%) • Combine physical activity with personal transportation (e.g. bicycle transportation) • Learn your children to behave responsible • Involvement in local initiatives

  28. Thank you www.Lidegaard.dk / slides

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