Hotter and Damper: Dealing with the Environmental Health Impacts of Changing Weather and Climate

Anthropogenic activities that emit greenhouse gases have intensified global warming. The daily mean and maximum temperatures and the frequency of extreme heat events have increased in some regions of the world. These changes are greater in tropical regions of the world, in summer, and in urban areas. Rising temperatures enhance the moisture-carrying capacity of air, thereby increasing humidity and heavy precipitation. As the intensity of precipitation events increase, storms and flood events become more frequent. Rising temperatures magnify inequities relative to energy consumption. Periods of high heat coincide with peak electricity consumption because of the compelling need for energy-driven indoor cooling. Affluent populations can afford the energy expenditure required to modulate the indoor microclimate, but the lean resources of the less-affluent cannot accommodate the additional cost of electricity during peak heat making them more vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat. Lower-income countries are more prone to similar energy injustices. With suboptimal evaporative cooling in conditions of humid heat, populations become more susceptible to heat stress, poorer perceptions of wellbeing, and diseases affecting multiple organ systems like the heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver. Humid heat can also exacerbate pre-existing morbidities, while floods can damage property, destroy livelihoods, cause bodily harm, and interrupt municipal services. Adaptation to extremes of heat and precipitation is multifaceted and requires responsibility from the government, private citizens, and various stakeholders. Adaptive solutions must be well integrated embedded within the community, and centrally coordinated. These solutions include infrastructural planning, development, and regulation; targeted health and municipal services; responsive policy frameworks; and the provision of financial and relief support.