Current and emerging issues and challenges on Climate Change and its effect on human life.

1. Current and Emerging issues
in the environment : Climate
Change
Submitted by – Karishma Ubale & Standee P. Weah
MPH II, Sem IV
Subject – Environmental & occupational Health
Date: February 21,2021

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Environmental Issues in India and the World
• What about climate change?
• Effect of climate change in developing countries

3. Introduction
• In 2016, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Frontiers report identified a series of global
and emerging environmental problems that bring new challenges for the National & International
environmental agencies & sustainable development organizations.
• Most urgent & challenging environmental problems in last decades (last 50 years) creates awareness to
take positive action:-
• In some cases, solutions were very difficult to apply & certain conditions were expensive for
remediation interventions.
Urban air photochemical pollution from vehicular
exhausts (Los Angeles)
Damaging acid rain events in the lakes of
Scandinavian countries
Industrial & municipal toxic sewage wastewater in
developed countries
Excessive overpopulation and urbanization in most
continents
Stratospheric ozone layer depletion in Antarctica Deforestation of vast areas of valuable tropical forests
loss of biodiversity
Water pollution by agricultural runoffs and microplastics Climate change, Soil erosion & desertification

4. • But although some issues attracted new & strict regulations (restriction of emissions, ban on certain
toxic & carcinogenic chemicals & wasteful practices in industrial & agricultural sector,
introduction of green chemistry) still novel emerging environmental problems appeared in 21st
century on a global scale that need new sustainable changes, renewable energy sources & reduced
use of non-renewable resources.
• At the same time old problems like overpopulation, urbanization, energy & food consumption
trends, limits to continued unsustainable economic growth of developing countries that needs to be
taken into account.
• In the last decades, scientific endeavor & policy actions have led to innovative solutions & vital
advancements in environmental protection. Yet these advances are frequently outpaced by overall
economic growth.
• E.g. - As the fuel efficiency of cars has increased, the size of the global vehicle fleet continues to
grow in urban areas, Some environmental pollution problems were discovered before substantial
damage or threatening conditions developed in environmental resources & sensitive ecosystems.
Continued..

5. • UN Environment’s 6th Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6) 2019, is the most comprehensive
assessment of the state of the world's environment.
• There are about 7.7 billion people living on Earth today.
• That population is expected to rise to 8.6 billion by 2030 and 9.8 by 2050, with most of the growth
concentrated in Africa and Asia.
• At the same time, people will be increasingly drawn to life in cities. By 2050, roughly 68% will
live in urban areas, up from just over half today.
• Our planet is becoming increasingly unhealthy, and this is having a direct impact on human life.
More than 12.6 million people died from environmental causes in 2012 - represents nearly one
quarter of all deaths worldwide that year.
• Climate change threatens more land, people, & economies in Asia & small Pacific island states
than any other part of the planet.
Sixth global United Nations environmental
outlook (GEO-6)

6. Pollution: Air, water, soil and land pollution. - result of industrialization, littering, mining,
deforestation, construction, agricultural activities.
Climate change: Due to environmental changes, there has been a melting of polar ice, change of
seasons, development of new diseases and a drastic change in the general climatic situation.
Hurricanes, floods, droughts, etc. are the outcomes of climate change.
Global Warming: The greenhouse effect is caused when there is an increase in greenhouse gases
and the temperatures rise. It has resulted in the rise in ocean levels and the melting of polar ice
caps.
Deforestation: It is common knowledge that trees create oxygen and help in managing temperature
and precipitation. Many forest species are in danger due to human activities.
Genetic engineering: This is the process of altering the genetic makeup of an organism using
biotechnology. Genetically engineered crops can prove to be a threat, as animals can ingest these
harmful chemicals, and in turn, pass it on to humans.
Environmental Issues in India and the World

7. • Overpopulation: This is the most important environmental concerns, and is the main cause of all
the other environmental issues across the globe. If the population goes beyond unsustainable levels,
it is surely going to lead to a deficiency in assets and natural resources.
• Biodiversity loss: The main cause of this is the destruction of habitats which is a direct result of
deforestation, reckless human activity, pollution as well as global warming.
• Public health concerns: Due to the different kinds of pollution, humans are facing health concerns
and many new diseases have sprung up, which were unheard of earlier.
• Ozone layer depletion: The Ozone layer is a layer of protection around the Earth that protects it
from the harmful rays of the sun. Its depletion has been a direct result of increased usage of CFCs
and other pollution.
• Reckless mining: Mining involves the extraction of minerals from the core of the Earth. Many
harmful chemicals are also brought out along with the minerals, which can be the causes of air,
water, and soil pollution.
Continued..

8. • Depletion of natural resources: Over-consumption of fossil fuels can lead to global warming, an
increase in the sea levels as well as the melting of the polar ice caps. This would also ultimately
lead to a depletion in the finite supply of these resources, which would prove to be nothing less
than a catastrophe to mankind.
• Nuclear issues: Radioactive waste is an environmental concern as it contains a radioactive
substance that is a by-product of nuclear power generation. It can have a devastating effect on the
lives of the people, plants, animals as well as the surrounding environment, in case it is not
disposed of properly.
• Household and industrial waste: This is caused due to the overutilization of assets and the
formation of plastic.
• Loss of endangered species: Another negative impact of overpopulation and loss of habitats is the
loss of various biomes.
• Medical waste: This implies any kind of waste produced in large quantities by healthcare centres
and is considered to be bio-hazardous in nature.
Continued..

9. Most concerning environmental issues in India

10. • Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g. using
statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists
for an extended period, typically decades or longer. (IPCC)
• Climate change a global phenomenon but is becoming an Asian problem.
• Floods, droughts and other disasters disrupts our food supply. Such threats will probably become
more frequent as climate change intensifies.
• Climate change is a substantial energy security concern not only because direct flooding and
natural disasters can damage power plants & transmission lines, disrupt the delivery of imported
energy fuels, & destroy crops for biofuels but also because it has severe impacts on food security,
health & environmental refugees that can all lower the income base of Asian countries & add to
government debt further complicating attempts at sound energy policy making.
What about climate change?

11. Effect of climate change in developing
countries
1. Health
2. Social Health
3. Economy
4. Political
5. Biodiversity
6. Culture
7. Weather

12. 1.Effect of Climate Change on health
• Prolonged intense heat waves coupled with humidity may increase mortality and morbidity rates,
particularly among the urban poor and the elderly.
• Increased death and injury from extreme weather events such as flooding, landslides, and
storms – over 96 percent of disaster-related deaths in recent years have taken place in developing
countries (World Bank 2001).
• Changes in temperature and rainfall pattern may change the geographic range of vector-borne
diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, exposing new populations to these diseases.
• Climate change–induced droughts, flooding and other extreme weather events, degrade and
reduce potable water supplies and increase water-associated diseases such as cholera and
diarrhea, particularly in areas with inadequate sanitary infrastructures.
• Inadequate access to safe drinking water and sanitation, combined with poor hygiene practices,
are major causes of ill health and life-threatening disease in developing countries.
• At present, these diseases already kill an estimated 2.213 million people per year in developing
countries, of which about 90 percent are children under the age of five (Prüss et al. 2002).

13. Pathways by which climate change affects
human health

14. Human Health Consequences of Climate
Change
1.Asthma, Respiratory Allergies, and Airway Diseases
2.Cancer
3.Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
4.Foodborne Diseases and Nutrition
5.Heat-Related Morbidity and Mortality
6.Human Developmental Effects
7.Mental Health and Stress-Related Disorders
8.Neurological Diseases and Disorders
9.Vector borne and Zoonotic Diseases
10.Waterborne Diseases
11.Weather-Related Morbidity and Mortality
According to WHO, each year:
• Under nutrition kills 3.5
million..
• Diarrhea kills 2.2 million
• Malaria kills 900,000
• Extreme weather events kill
60,000

15. Climate Change Health Impacts and Strategic Planning
Model based on the RIDS Risk Informed Decision
Support system.

16. Effect on Social Health
Social determinant of health Climate change impact on social determinant of
health
Agriculture and food production Decreased food yield, contributing in malnutrition,
rising food costs
Education Climate change affect families can result in withdrawal
of children from school.
Diversion of funds to cover the damage done by
disasters brought by climate change.
Workplace Loss of employment, risk in workplace.
Water & sanitation Scarcity of drinking water, sanitation in compromised.
Health care Stress during emergency condition.
Housing Damage and loss of house- displacement and refugee
problems

17. Effect of climate change on Economy
• Climate change is likely to have adverse effect on the economy of developing and poorer
countries.
• The damage brought by disaster due to climate change; costs falls onto the hand of government/
authorities in power of the country. For the sake of people, large sum of money which could be
used for infrastructure development will be used for healthcare and clear up operations.
• Revenue reductions may also be experienced by countries heavily dependent on tourism.
• Also, developing countries may remain in constant phase of reconstruction.
• According to a survey, it is found that India relies on the monsoon cycle to water crops and
maintain its “nearly $370 billion agricultural sector and hundreds of millions of jobs.” Since, Indian
Ocean has warmed; the monsoon cycle has become unreliable, resulting in massive droughts and
dying crops.
• In a report in 2006 Nicholas (now Lord) Stern calculated that a 2°C rise in global
temperature cost about 1% of world GDP. But the World Bank, in its new World Development
Report (2010), now says the cost to Africa will be about 4% of GDP and to India, 5%. Even if
environmental costs were distributed equally to every person on earth, developing countries
would still bear 80% of the burden.

18. Political effect and Climate change
• Politics involves making decisions that govern other people’s lives.
• Many politicians. Scientists have different views on climate change issue. Some
belief that climate change is a natural phenomenon and human have no or little
influence and similarly other group believe that human have key impact in
climate change. As a result, it may result in conflict.
• Sea level is rising and as a result many islands are already under water e.g.:
Maldives. This may also have economic and political consequence of the country.
• Decreasing water and natural resources can cause migration, wars, social unrest,
and political instability.

19. Effect on biodiversity
• It is found that, Mangroves and coral reefs, the main coastal ecosystems in Africa, will probably be
affected. Endangered species such as manatees and marine turtles, as well as migratory birds, will
face higher risk of extinction.
• The Polar Regions are already affected by rising temperatures. Diminishing ice for the region has
brought polar bears, penguins, puffins and other Arctic creatures in the verge of extinction.
• It is said that with one meter rise in sea level, many Asian species, such as Bengal tigers, Indian
otters, estuarine crocodiles and mud crabs, will be at risk of extinction.
• Forest fires may also increase in number. In Nepal, forest fires due to unseasonably high
temperatures will threaten the existence of species such as red pandas, leopards, monkeys and
other wild animals.
• Rising sea levels will also cause changes to sea temperature. Such changes would have a strong
impact on zooplankton, an essential part of the food chain in the ocean. Whales especially could
be affected as many species require mass amounts of plankton to survive.
• In addition, increased carbon dioxide causes acidification of the ocean, affecting creatures and
plants that are sensitive to pH imbalances.

20. Effect on weather
• Global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of some types of extreme weather.
• Wet places have generally become wetter, while dry places have become drier. Heat waves have
become more frequent and intense, while very cold days have decreased.
• The changing, unpredictable and erratic rainfall seasons in Kenya have affected farmers’ ability to
plan their farming. Areas that used to receive adequate rainfall now receive insufficient rainfall,
reducing the area of land that can support agriculture. (Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR))
• Unprecedented heat in the summer of 2003 caused an
estimated 70,000 premature deaths in Europe. Temperatures that summer
in parts of Europe were 5-10°C (9-18°F) higher than in 2001. (NASA)

21. Effect on culture
• Culture, from an anthropological perspective, encompasses all learned and shared aspects of life
in human societies. (Wiley Online Library)
• Food culture is different around the world. For example, Asian civilizations were traditionally
based on rice; Meso-American on maize; the Inca (Peru) on potatoes and European on wheat and
other cereals. As climate changes, cultural food pattern also changes around world.
• Climate change can have effect on human culture will occur through the modification of
agricultural practices.
• Cultural effects of global warming flow from:
• agricultural decline (change in food culture)
• generation of environmental refugees; (Leave their inhabitant place and migrate to some
another country, leaving their accepted culture behind and may be forced to accept new
culture for adaptation)
• Disruption of cultural continuity (increased in death rate from infectious disease, mental
disorder, malnutrition etc)

22. Efforts to reduce climate change
• SDG: Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. (Improve education, awareness-
raising and human and institutional capacity, mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources
to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions)
• To address climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement on 12 December 2015. The Agreement
entered into force shortly thereafter, on 4 November 2016. In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to
limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and given the grave risks, to strive for 1.5
degrees Celsius.
• China has dramatically reduced its emissions growth rate, now just half its economic growth rate, through
slower population growth, energy efficiency improvements, fuel switching from coal to natural gas, and
afforestation.
• India’s growth in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions was reduced over the last decade through
economic restructuring, enforcement of existing clean air laws by the nation’s highest court, and renewable
energy programs

23. Continued..
• Mexico has begun to reduce deforestation rates, switch to natural
gas, and save energy, reducing annual emissions growth over the last
decade by 5 percent, or 10 million tons of carbon per year
• Similarly, beside these, many countries, national, international,
governmental, non-governmental organizations are putting their
effort to reduce the impact and cause of global warming. Also,
different conferences are holding recognizing the cause and taking
out essential solution for reducing the cause of climate change.

24. Interrelationships between major types of
global environmental change

25. Key message to environmental organizations
& policy authorities –
Human civilization will increasingly need access to timely, reliable environmental information from
various locations around the world so that authorities can identify urgent environmental issues as they
emerge & develop effective actions & policies to respond to them.
Without this, the global community‘s efforts will be hampered.

26. References
• Current Environmental Issues and Emerging Global Challenges in the 21st Century for
Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development
• Environmental issues, climate changes, and energy security in developing Asia
• http://lawtimesjournal.in/emerging-issues-relating-to-environmental-changes-in-india-and-the-
world/
• https://www.climsystems.com/blog/post/global-climate-change-and-health-the-right-to-health-
in-a-climate-changed-world-14-9-2016
• https://www.publichealthnotes.com/climate-change-developing-countries/

27. Climate change is no longer some far-off problem;
It is happening here, it is happening now
- Barack Obama
It’s a collective endeavour, it’s a collective
accountability and it may not be too late
- Christine Lagarde

28. THANK YOU