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[EN VIDÉO] 5 weather phenomena that will become more frequent due to climate change Weather hazards have always been part of our daily lives. But with climate change, these once exceptional events tend to repeat themselves. Here are 5 weather phenomena that we will experience more often in the coming decades.
Monday, February 28, 2022, the IPCC shared the second part of its sixth report devoted to the consequences of climate change and the means of adapting to it. Like the previous ones, this assessment is alarming. it highlights the urgency of immediate and more ambitious action to address climate risks. Half measures are no longer an option said Hoesung Lee, economist and chairman of the IPCC.
Climate change affects all forms of life on Earth, animal and plant. Human beings too. Our Western way of life is threatened by more extreme and frequent climatic events, the scarcity of natural resources, to name just two examples. Our health is also directly and indirectly threatened by the global warming. A collective of thirty researchers, from all over the world and affiliates at prestigious universities such as Harvard, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) or the University of Vienna in Austria, charted the risks to human health posed by climate change as well as avenues for adaptation, in the vein of the latest IPCC report.
Heat wave, pollution, fires, storms, risks to our health
Our health is directly threatened by the most obvious manifestations of climate change. The heat wave of 2003, which caused 15,000 victims, made an impression and led to the implementation of the heat wave plan the following year. The 2019 episodeas hot as that of 2003 but shorter – five days instead of 19 – caused 1,500 victims.
The heat is a test for the body, which is programmed to operate between 36.1°C and 37.5°C depending on the time of day. To avoid overheating when the temperature exceeds 40°C over several days, the blood vessels dilate, breathing and heart rate increase, sweating also increases to cool the body, leading to dehydration. A young and healthy organism survives it, but it can be fatal for fragile people. Seniors, households living below the poverty line, ethnic minorities and precarious outdoor workers are the most exposed to the consequences of the heat wave. High temperatures also modify our behavior; they are associated with an increase in the rate of suicide, self-mutilation or even aggressive behavior.
Climate change is an infernal machine whose greenhouse gas emissions are the fuel. This pollution is also toxic to our health. According to WHOthe most harmful atmospheric pollutants are: fine particlesI’ozonedioxidenitrogen and the dioxide sulfur. Their inhalation induces chronic respiratory disorders, asthma, and weakens the respiratory tract with respect to virus. The fine particles PM less than 2.5 are the most dangerous because once inhaled, they can penetrate the respiratory alveoli and pass into the bloodstream.
The fires, which are also growing in matter of frequency and size, saturate theair all sorts of other pollutants from the combustion of our manufactured goods, in particular those in plastic. Short and long-term exposure to fumes increases the risk of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, poisoning by polluted water or food. Again, the list is not exhaustive.
The floods are also a health hazard when dirty water contaminates drinking water and makes it unfit for consumption. The storms during production peaks pollen expose allergy sufferers Has asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis.
Other threats in ambush
These effects are direct and quite easily identifiable, but the group of researchers also underlines the existence of indirect effects that are more difficult to anticipate. Among them there isemergence new infectious and vector-borne diseases. As global temperatures rise, vectors such as mosquitoes Where ticks can survive far from their geographic area of origin and their proliferation explodes. Since 2004, the tiger mosquito is permanently installed in several regions of metropolitan France, raising fears of the appearance of cases of Zikadengue or chikungunya away from tropics. Imported cases are identified each year and more rarely autochthonous cases, including two cases of dengue fever in 2021.
And then there are also long-term consequences such as the displacement of many people, the reduction of food security, or even a stress sustainable. This is a description of an unenviable world, which may be ours if inaction on climate change continues. Scientists are proposing solutions to alleviate these problems, solutions that must be taken without further delay by politicians. Adapt our health systems to the increase in respiratory diseases, pandemics and other mental disorders. Educate younger generations about climate change, its origins and its consequences, or take personal initiatives according to one’s means. Measures that will surely have a positive impact, if humanity decides to act.
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