Perspective Chapter: Climate Change and Health Inequities

Abstract

Climate change poses an imminent danger to health and humanity. Climate change via the drivers of rising temperatures, increasing natural disasters, rising sea levels, and air pollution pose significant challenges for the healthcare system and negatively impact patient health. These health risks include increased temperature-related morbidity and mortality, air-pollution-related health effects, and frailty due to respiratory and cardiovascular impacts from heat and weather events. Increased adverse birth outcomes have also been associated with climate change. Urbanization, exposure to increased heat levels, and exposure to increased natural disasters and extreme weather events also lead to higher levels of injury and mortality, increased health system trauma burden, and increased demand on the healthcare system’s capacity. While all populations are impacted by climate change, vulnerable populations are disproportionately at risk. The impact on global health will be tremendous unless significant action is taken to reduce carbon emissions and curtail climate change.