The second part discusses the impacts on health, society and the environment, as well as highlighting actions people are taking throughout the U.S. to decrease the effects of climate change 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson answers some common questions.
QUESTION: What is climate change?
The Earth’s temperature has risen by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, with most of the earth’s warming occurring in the last 35 years.
QUESTION: What role does climate change play in the extremes we are seeing, with hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, and extreme flooding?
QUESTION: How does the rise in temperature impact our health?
• Decrease in Air Quality- This is a result of higher levels of pollutants in the air, as well as ozone levels being impacted.
• Increase in Allergens- With the change in air quality and changing drought versus rainfall, the amount of dust, pollen and mold in the air is changing and causing a worsening of seasonal allergies.
QUESTION: There is also a rise in diseases that can be spread because of changes in our climate.
• Change in Illnesses Spread by Mosquitoes, Ticks and other Vectors- As the weather patterns change and we see warmer temperatures and more extremes in rainfall, we are going to see more illnesses spread by ticks and mosquitos like West Nile, Zika, Lyme Disease.
ANSWER: States are doing more to help with extremes of weather conditions (e.g. cooling areas during heat waves), preparing for wildfires, climate-proofing health care system infrastructure (e.g. making sure hospitals are prepared for hurricanes), monitoring the water supply especially during drought seasons, and actively watching for disease outbreaks.