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    Climate Crisis: A Looming Catastrophe for Global Health

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    The climate crisis is becoming an ever more present threat, not just to the environment but to human health as well. In what might sound like the synopsis of a dystopian novel, dark surfaces in the ocean—previously ice—are now absorbing solar heat with unprecedented efficiency, accelerating the melting of polar ice and contributing to extreme weather conditions worldwide.

    water splash on brown rock formation during daytime
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    This was the stark warning delivered by health and environmental expert Sonthi Kotchawat of the Thai Environment Academics Association, who took to social media to highlight the perilous consequences of global warming.

    The Perito Moreno Glacier
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    Sonthi’s comments on Facebook highlight a fundamental shift in the Earth’s albedo effect, where the smooth, translucent surfaces of ice chunks, which used to reflect 80% of sunlight, now, when melted into murky flakes that mix with seawater, absorb up to 90% of the Sun’s heat.

    brown bare trees on brown field during daytime
    Photo by Muhammad Numan on Unsplash

    A significant expansion of this phenomenon has already been documented, covering approximately 13.45 million square kilometers of ocean globally, leading to temperatures soaring to record highs, as witnessed in Thailand during this year’s summer.

    giant petrel
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    Human health is at the center of the impacts triggered by this climatic upheaval. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) elucidates how climate change exacerbates health problems, including respiratory and heart diseases, and fosters the spread of infectious diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile Virus. It’s not just the immediate threats—violent crime and mental health issues are also on the rise due to climate-induced stress.

    white polar bear on snow covered ground during daytime
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    As climate change continues to challenge the stability of our world, Sonthi advises people to prepare for “extreme heat in the summer, extreme cold in the winter, and more rains and storms during the rainy season.” The variability in weather patterns, including hot weather in winter or vice versa, poses additional health hazards.

    black sealion on net
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    The World Health Organization (WHO) provides a sobering global perspective, estimating that climate change could cause 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress.

    white and red boat on sea water during daytime
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    The financial toll on health is equally alarming, with direct damage costs projected to be between US$ 2–4 billion per year by 2030.

    a polar bear in the water with a blue bag
    Photo by Yomex Owo on Unsplash

    Developing countries with weaker health infrastructures are particularly vulnerable, and climate change acts as a threat multiplier, potentially reversing decades of progress in health and development.

    painting of sea wave
    Photo by USGS on Unsplash

    As Sonthi forecasts a possible 1.8-meter rise in sea levels by 2100 if the current rate of polar ice melt continues, the WHO is calling for urgent action to avert catastrophic health impacts and the reversal of half a century’s advancements in global health.

    selective focus photography of dry soil
    Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

    According to recent research, 37% of heat-related deaths can now be attributed to human-induced climate change, with heat-related deaths among those over 65 increasing by 70% in the last two decades.

    factories with smoke under cloudy sky
    Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

    In an article published in JAMA, a team of infectious diseases experts, including lead author George R. Thompson, is urging more awareness and preparedness in the medical field to combat the impact of climate change on the spread of diseases.

    an aerial view of a river running through a desert
    Photo by USGS on Unsplash

    They suggest a proactive approach, with clinicians maintaining “a high index of suspicion of diseases on the move,” and advocate for policies that can slow climate change.

    black and white shark on water
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    The message from the scientific community is clear: climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a health emergency. As we witness the transformation of our planet’s physical and biological systems, the call to action is loud and pressing. The medical community, policymakers, and individuals must all participate in mitigating this crisis and safeguarding the well-being of current and future generations.

    white ice on body of water during daytime
    Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

    While the situation is dire, there is still room for strategic response, adaptation, and resilience—but the window for effective action is rapidly closing.

    Relevant articles:
    Expert warns of increased health risks to humans from climate change, Nation Thailand
    Climate Change and Human Health, epa.gov
    Climate change, World Health Organization (WHO)
    Experts warn climate change will fuel spread of infectious diseases, UC Davis Health

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