Health Impacts from Extreme Heat - VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
Rupa Basu, PhD, California Environmental Protection Agency
Extreme heat and ambient heat exposure due to climate change are causing rising death tolls in recent years around the world, with recent incidences in California, the Oregon, India, England, and Australia as examples. Heat impacts all organs in the body and exacerbates underlying medical conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease, triggering emergency room visits, hospitalizations and death in vulnerable populations. The elderly, pregnant women, African-Americans and poor communities are most vulnerable to negative health outcomes.
Climate Change and Harmful Algal Blooms - VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
Nara Souza, MSc, Brain Chemistry Labs(link is external and opens in a new window)
Many naturally occurring algal species and genera are important to the environment. When favorable conditions exist, they can bloom to form mass populations that pose significant risks to human and animal health. Some of these organisms are capable of producing highly potent toxins, which can cause acute health issues, from rashes to vomiting, fever, liver failure and even death, as well as long term health consequences such as neurologic issues and cancers.
Climate change is increasing the likelihood of such toxic blooms due to higher temperatures, droughts, severe weather and desertification as examples. To mitigate such problems, we need tools to help understand the impacts of climate changes on algal blooms, to build strategies to manage and minimize harmful algal blooms.
Climate Change and Cascading Risks from Waterborne Diseases - VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
Jan C. Semenza, PhD, University of Heidelberg
Climate change can trigger a series of events with consequences for waterborne diseases. Heavy rainfall, flooding and hot weather are associated with increased incidence of waterborne diseases like cholera, vibrio spp., cryptosporidium, giardia and campylobacter. Early warning systems that monitor and integrate climatic and/or environmental precursors of disease prior to outbreaks are important to develop public health strategies to intercept cascading risks and prevent subsequent waterborne disease outbreaks.
VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
Heat waves are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity around the world, including recent extreme heat events in the US, Europe, India, and China. These heat stresses increase morbidity and mortality by exacerbating chronic health conditions like cardiovascular disease, and striking vulnerable populations like pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those from poorer and marginalized communities. This panel will explore the connections between heat and population health while identifying disparities and effective interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change on human health.
VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
Climate change driven wildfires and increasing air pollution are degrading air quality worldwide, causing alarming impacts on our health. When particulates found in the air are inhaled, they induce molecular and cellular damage to the lung, leading to asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases.
On August 16, 2022, Keystone Symposia hosted a FREE ePanel event on Climate Change, Air Quality and Lung Health, exploring these issues with field leaders. The discussion spanned micro to macro level impacts, covering epigenetic, cellular and population-level studies of how exposures to poor air quality alters lung function.
A particular emphasis was placed on vulnerable individuals and populations, and research that informs interventions and policy decisions that will protect human health and equity. We tackled the discussion from many angles, gaining perspectives from clinicians, researchers, educators, and public health policy leaders to holistically assess these challenges and identify solutions.
VIDEO RECORDING(link is external and opens in a new window)
On Earth Day, 2022, we launched our Climate Health ePanel series in collaboration with the Global Consortium on Climate Health and Education, with the inaugural ePanel on Health Threats, Disparities and Necessary Actions. The free ePanel event provided a broad overview of how climate related exposures – such as extreme heat, wildfires, drought and extreme weather events – threaten human health worldwide.
In particular, we examined the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations, including African nations, indigenous peoples, persons living with disabilities, women, mothers and children. We gained perspectives from clinicians, researchers, journal editors, educators, non-profit foundation leaders and public health policy experts to holistically assess these challenges and identify ways the scientific community can get involved and take action against these impacts and inequities.
