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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
• Understand the impact of these changes
on global health
• Take advantage of the different roles we
have as health professionals
• Act
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
Earth development 4,600 My
Deep ocean drills
4600
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
My before present
400 trees
350 fish
First life 300 first ice
250 reptiles
200 dinosaurs
150 mammals
100 flowers
Life on land 50 ice again
0
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
CO2 in atmosphere through last 400 My
Eon
Phanerozoic
Paleozoic
Era
4000
Mesozoic
Cenozoic
ppm
3000
Ice
present
3000
Ice
present
3000
2000
350
500
300
250
200
Mammals
Flowers
1000
Reptiles
0
400
Fish
1000
Trees
1000
Dinosaurs
2000
150
www.stratigraphy.org
100
Extinction event
2300
600
270
50
My
0
CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My
1000
CENOZOIC
ppm
Paleogene period (65-23 My BP)
ERA
Kænozoikum
Neogene (23 My - now)
800
600 575
600
Antarctic glaciation
525
485
425 415 410 405
380 400
400
250
Ice free world
Sea level 80 m
above present
200
Development in mammals
0
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5 My 0
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
Paleogene (35 My BP)
CO2 in atmosphere through last 50 My
1000
CENOZOIC
ppm
Paleogene period (65-23 My BP)
ERA
Kænozoikum
Neogene (23 My - now)
800
600 575
600
Antarctic glaciation
525
485
425 415 410 405
380 400
400
250
Ice free world
Sea level 80 m
above present
200
Development in mammals
0
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5 My 0
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My
500
NEOGENE PERIOD
ppm
Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP)
Pleistocene (1.8-0.01)
390
400
350
310
275
300
240
Last time CO2 was at the same high as today.
200
At that time sea level was 20-30 m above
present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher
100
5
4
3
2
1
My
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
0
Pliocene
(4 My BP)
CO2 in atmosphere through last 5 My
500
NEOGENE PERIOD
ppm
Pliocene epoch (5.4-1.8 My BP)
Pleistocene (1.8-0.01)
390
400
350
310
275
300
240
Last time CO2 was at the same high as today.
200
At that time sea level was 20-30 m above
present level, and Tp. was 3.5oC higher
100
5
4
3
2
1
My
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
0
Earth development 4,600 My
My
.
Ice cores
trees
fish
700
first ice 600
reptiles 500 Homo erectus
dinosaurs 400
mammals 300
flowers 200
ice again 100 Homo sapiens
0
Deep ocean drills
4600
400
3500
350
3000 First life 300
2500
250
2000
200
1500
150
1000
100
500 Life on land 50
0
0
1000 years
IPCC. Assessment report 4, 2007, The Physical Science Basis
CO2 and temperature through last 640,000 years
5oC
Holocene
Greenhouse gases through last 2,000 years
Holocene
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
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
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
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
Commitment of health professionals
Research in climate and health
• European health consequences of
- increased temperature
- changed precipitation pattern
- melting glaciers
Aletsch Glacier (CH)
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
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)
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,
Research in climate and health
•
•
•
•
Professional health organisations
Construction of sustainable health institutions
buildings, equipment, food, transportation
Electronic real time video communication in
replacement for distant personal meetings
Waste policy re-cycling equipment
Environmental footprint of health care sector
describe, integrate and recommend green
professional practices.
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
Thank you
www.Lidegaard.dk / slides