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Weather, Climate and Health

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Weather, Climate and Health Weather, Climate and Health World Meteorological Organization 1999 Geneva, Switzerland WMO - No. 892 WMO-No.892 © 1999, World Meteorological Organization ISBN 92-63-10892-7 NOTE The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. CONTENTS Page FOREWORD 5 INTRODUCTION ............................................... 7 WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFLUENCES ON HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 8 Humans are adapted to their local climate 9 Heatwaves ................................................ .. 10 Air pollution and weath;r ..................................... .. 12 Climate variability, El Nino/Southern Oscillation and epidemics ......... .. 13 GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN HEALTH .. '. ............... .. 16 Stratospheric ozone depletion and human health .................... .. 18 Food and water supply. ...................................... .. 20 Climate change and vector-borne diseases 21 PLANNING AND OPERATING IN HARMONY WITH CLIMATE AND WEATHER .. 24 Biometeorology and bioclimatology 24 Building design and urban planning 26 Disaster mitigation .......................................... .. 28 Heat health watch warning systems 29 Food security, environment and sustainable development 32 CONCLUSION ............................................... .. 34 HOW TO FIND OUT MORE ..................................... .. 36 FOREWORD Each year, World Meteorological Day is low-level ozone are often linked to asthma celebrated on 23 March to commemorate and other respiratory diseases, especially the coming into force of the Convention of in urban areas. The depletion of the the World Meteorological Organization protective ozone layer in the upper parts (WMO) in 1950. For each anniversary, of the atmosphere leads to greater expo­ WMO selects a theme which highlights the sure to harmful ultraviolet radiation from contribution of meteorology and opera­ the sun, resulting in increased cases of tional hydrology to an issue of importance skin cancer, especially among people to humanity. For the 1999 World of temperate latitudes, and the weakening Meteorological Day, WMO has chosen to of the immune system of humans and focus on the impact of weather and animals. climate on health with the theme Weather; Furthermore, extreme weather events, Climate and Health. This is particularly such as tropical cyclones and severe appropriate in the light of human suffering floods, cause loss of life and the destruction as a consequence of the many recent of property and often create favourable natural disasters around the world. conditions for the transmission of various Human beings have a great capacity diseases. In particular, such events destroy to adapt to varied climates and environ­ food supplies and contaminate freshwater, ments, but they are still vulnerable to causing malnutrition and the spread of marked changes in meteorological condi­ certain diseases such as diarrhoea and tions. Refugees, children and elderly cholera. Severe droughts have similar people are particularly sensitive. Illnesses socio-economic and health impacts that and deaths due to extreme heat or sudden develop more slowly and are generally cold temperatures are common. In some longer-lasting and more widespread. parts of the world, the onset of rainfall In addition, it is recognized that the often results in an outbreak of endemic predicted global warming and the result­ diseases such as malaria and cholera. The ing climate change are likely to affect the airborne transport of pollutants and pollen, health of human populations in the future. the incidence of acid rain and toxic For instance, a warmer world may cause a deposits that contaminate farmlands, spread of vector-borne diseases into some forests, water sources and fish stocks, all non-tropical parts of the world. A signifi­ depend on prevailing meteorological cant portion of the world's vegetation conditions. Smog and toxic gases including types would change, and some medicinal plants and animal species could become I wish to thank Dr Anthony Since our earfy extinct. Climate change would also have McMichael, Professor of Epidemiology at ancestors first an impact on the availability of freshwater, the London School of Hygiene and wa[R!a the 'Earth/ particularly for domestic and agricultural Tropical Medicine, for overseeing this the rhythms of use, and a rise in sea level would cause booklet and Sari Kovats for preparing the saltwater contamination of underground excellent manuscript. I hope that the infor­ nature/ or the water supplies. mation provided and the activities of annua[ march of WMO therefore places high priority on World Meteorological Day will serve to the seasons/ seea­ the enhancement of the capabilities of the draw the attention of governments, the time anaha17Jest/ national Meteorological and Hydrological public and the international, regional and Services (NMHSs) to adequately monitor national health authorities to the linkages cora anaheat/ aay and predict the weather and climate between climate, weather and health, and ana night/ have conditions which contribute to health t; the role of WMO and the NMHSs' in pe17Jaaea a[[ problems, and for the provision of timely contributing to a safer and healthier world aspects ofhuman advice to mitigate the impacts. for future generations. enaeavour. Settfements ana civi[izations have risen anafa[fen in concert with shifts in the patterns of (G.O.P. Obasi) the 'Earth/s Secretary-General cfimate. 7 INTRODUCTION We have long been aware that weather Every species on the planet is biolog­ and climate affect health and well-being. ically adapted to its local climate, as part Two and a half thousand years ago, of its environment. This includes the human Hippocrates wrote about regional differ­ species. We, however, have the unique ences in climate and their relationship to ability to deliberately modify our environ­ states of health. Folklore everywhere is ment. Thus our behaviour, buildings and rich in wisdom and belief about the effect societies are also adapted to the local climate. A considerabLe vaLue of the seasons and weather fluctuations In recent years, there have been new from meteoroLogicaL upon human health. "Fevers" (which, over insights into climate variability and regularly observations is past centuries, have inclwded a multitude occurring phenomena that influence world the contribution of infections) vary seasonally; so do mood weather. The El Nifio event of 1997/98 made to the health and various psychological disorders; joint had a significant impact on weather across ofhumanity aches and pains flare up in the winter; and the globe. It brought drought, floods and (Bureau of Meteorology, heatwaves can kill, particularly the very rains, and U: triggered epidemics. Australia) young and the very old. The balance of evidence now The climate is a resource that suggests that there is a discernible human provides for the necessities of life. influence on the global climate. Significant Throughout the ages, human beings have changes in climate in the next hundred adapted to this resource by arranging years and beyond are projected. These shelter, food production, energy provision impending changes have focused new and lifestyles in harmony with climate and attention on the health consequences of environmental conditions in general. Our climate and weather. There are still many needs and productivity are linked in subtle uncertainties as to how each and every ways to the climate and the seasons. species will respond to climate change. 8 WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFLCIENCES ON HCIMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING [n popular terms, weather is what we the sick season because malnutrition experience on a day-to-day basis. Climate increases vulnerability to infection and means the "average weather" and its exposure to tropical diseases is greatest. longer-term variability over a particular Today, epidemiological research ­ period or over a month, season, year or the study of the distribution and determi­ several years. nants of disease and injuries in We are most aware of the weather populations - is the principal scientific when it is hot or cold, or very wet or very discipline used to study how disease dry. [t is the extremes of weather that have relates to weather and climate. There is, the most devastating impacts on human however, a long history of attempts to health and well-being. Storms, tropical assess this relationship. [n Roman times, cyclones and floods kill many thousands for example, the architect Vitruvius Pollio of people every year. Non-catastrophic describes how, in selecting a site for a new weather can also have varied and signifi­ settlement, animals who had grazed there cant impacts on human health. For were sacrificed and their livers examined. example, weather affects the level of air [f the livers were greenish yellow in pollution in a city; rainfall can increase the colour, the area was considered healthy. local population of malaria mosquitoes. Nowadays, less colourful measures are The link between weather and disease used in epidemiology. is illustrated by the seasonality of many Epidemiologists have traditionally diseases. Until the early part of this viewed the influences of weather and century, summer diarrhoea was a major climate on health as part
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