At least 150 000 people die needlessly each year as a direct result of global warming, three major UN organisations warned yesterday. The belief that the effects of climate change would become apparent in 10, 20 or 50 years time was misplaced, they said in a report. The changes had already brought about a noticeable increase in malnutrition, as well as outbreaks of diarrhoea and malaria, the three ”big killers” in the poorest countries of the world.
The report was published at the climate talks in Milan, where ministers are trying to put the finishing touches to the Kyoto protocol, designed to put legal limits on developed countries’ greenhouse gas emissions. Russia’s ratification of the protocol is needed for it to come into force.
Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, a World Health Organisation scientist, said the estimates of deaths were extremely conservative and the reality was probably far higher. They were expected to double in the next 30 years. ”People may say that this is a small total compared with the totals who die anyway, but these are needless deaths. We must do our best to take preventative measures,” he said.
Although the rises in death and diseases were most marked in poorest states, they were worldwide. Global warming led to drought and a shorter growing season, and malnutrition weakened people, particularly children, making them susceptible to killer diseases.
The most recent example of people being caught unawares was the summer heat wave in Europe, where the initial estimates of excess deaths are still being revised upwards, with 25 482 people now known to have died in the unusually high temperatures, 2 045 of them in England and Wales. In some badly affected countries, such as Germany, the results have still not been made public.
But beside the deaths, there was a large increase in other illnesses. Many children were admitted to hospital in England with kidney problems due to dehydration. Parents and children had failed to realise that they needed to drink more to survive the heat.
Bettina Menne, a medical officer with the WHO, said the French were caught by surprise. Many of the 14 802 who died, 60% more than expected, were in institutions. Research is under way to establish whether air conditioning should be a necessity for parts of hospitals, or whether a ”cold room” should be established for vulnerable patients during heat waves in residential homes.
The report, produced by the WHO, the UN Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Programme, details how the increased warmth has intensified the spread of diseases. Diarrhoeal diseases spread by bacteria, mostly via unclean water and food, spread and develop more quickly in warmer temperatures and humidity. Dirty water is the largest killer of children under five.
In Lima, Peru, a six-year study at a clinic set up to treat diarrhoeal complaints showed a 12% increase in cases for every 1C rise in temperature in cooler months and a 4% increase in the hotter months. Similar results were found in a survey of 18 Pacific islands. The problem is made worse by high rainfall or drought, where water supplies become contaminated.
Diseases spread by rats and insects are also more common in warmer weather. Malaria, dengue fever and Lyme disease are all on the increase. Many threats can be curtailed by dispensing preventive medicine and providing clean water and sanitation. Climate change makes these issues more urgent, the report said.
The combined effects of increased warmth and the greater volume of standing water brought by storms create malaria epidemics by providing breeding sites and a speeded-up life cycle. In Africa, where the death toll from malaria is highest, mosquitoes carrying the disease are spreading into mountain areas previously too cool for them to thrive.
Hot and bothered…
Malaria Acutely sensitive to climate change. Thought to be 1-million extra cases because of climate change in 2000. Epidemics also triggered by high soil moisture content, allowing insects to survive long after floods have receded. Report predicts malaria spreading north and south into currently temperate regions, particularly those with high rainfall
Heat stroke Kills old and vulnerable; 25 842 extra people died in August in Europe
Salmonella In UK, a 12% increase in salmonella food poisoning is reported to health authorities for every 1C rise in temperature, starting as low as 5C. Rises steeply in hot months
Malnutrition Climate change is already increasing malnutrition because of crop losses – Guardian Unlimited Â