Climate Change Could Be the World's Biggest Health Threat

ABC News ^ | May 14, 2009 | Michael Smith

[Zakeet]

The biggest global health threat of this century is climate change, according to a new report prepared jointly by University College London and The Lancet.

Climate change will change for the worse patterns of disease, food security, water and sanitation, and extreme weather, according to Anthony Costello, FRCPCH, of University College London and colleagues.

"This is a bad diagnosis for our children and grandchildren," Dr. Costello told reporters, not only in the developing world but also in industrialized countries.

The journal's editor in chief, Richard Horton, FRCP, said climate change is "an urgent threat, it is a dangerous threat, it is neglected and requires an unprecedented response."

The researchers called for health professionals to get involved in a new "public health movement that frames the threat of climate change for humankind as a health issue."

Dr. Costello said the researchers concluded that mean global temperatures will rise by between 2oC and 6oC over the next 100 years.

Among other things, they said, the increase will mean:

• More heat waves like the one in Europe in 2003 that killed an estimated 70,000 people.

• Greater rates of transmission and wider geographic spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue fever that are currently endemic in tropical regions.

• Hunger from falling crop yields in many regions of the world, caused by higher temperatures and the effects of extreme weather, such as flooding and drought.

• An increase in gastroenteritis and water-borne diseases because of disrupted water supply, as well as water shortages.

[Zakeet]

I told you Freepers this would happen.

P.S. Would the last person left alive on Planet Earth please turn out the lights?

[mgc1122]

Warmer is better than colder .... and colder is what is coming next.

[mikelets456]

Climate Change Could Be the World’s Biggest Health Threat...

No, that would be Gore’s FAT ASS that is!!

[anniegetyourgun]

OOOOHHHHHH NNNNOOOOOOEEESSSS.

[G Larry]

Bogus science and agenda driven news is the world’s biggest health threat!

(did i mention socialized medicine?)

[Spok]

“Climate Change Could Be the World’s Biggest Health Threat”

Actually, ignorance is the world’s biggest health threat. See Exhibit A, above.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Yeah the coming ice age is the number one health risk for those that will experience it.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

“Climate Change Could Be the World’s Biggest Health Threat”

____________________________________________

L

O

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[gitmogrunt]

Anal Vapors from Democrat Donkey’s is worse.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The glaciers will be a big problem as everyone gets squeezed back to the equator again.

[Mad Dawgg]

'Climate Change Could Be the World's Biggest Health Threat

Yes, I agree.

It Could get really Cold (Like in the last Ice Age) and lots of people will die as a result.

In fact the odds of this happening in the next 15,000 years are very high.

Much Higher than the globe warming up to where people would not survive. (OMG the temp is up .03 degress everyone run for cover...)

[NewHampshireDuo]

The problem with these reports is that they start with the presumption that GW is going to happen and then their analysis is completely based on that assumption. The results might be well thought out etc. IF global warming were to happen. However, if GW doesn’t occur, then the analyses and reports are worth crap. Garbage in, Garbage out.

[dead]

Climate Change Could Be the World's Biggest Health Threat

"Climate change"

We're not even sure if it's going to get hotter or colder, but either way it will be a disaster.

Oh, and if it stays the same, that will be a disaster too.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Actually, ignorance is the world’s biggest health threat

Beat me to it, bears repeating though

[truthguy]

The MSM isn't going to let up on this. Until the time when Glaciers are covering North America, they are going to warn of Global Warming. Yes they now say Climate Change to hedge their bets. But don't be fooled. They are about trying to scare foolish people into enacting governmental policies that will line their pockets with money. If the rest of society suffers, TFB. These people are beyond shame.

[mo]

Nonsense...Federal Government is clearly the greatest threat to any of our’s Health....

[VTenigma]

I’m freezing my butt off right now in the middle of May. I’d love to shut my wood boiler down but I’m too cold to. I’m not worried about co2 I’m worried about freezing.

[kittymyrib]

When global cooling cuts crop production drastically, there will be mass starvation. Naturally, the government and university scientists who depend on politically correct government grants will be the last to realize what is happening.

[Cyman]

Shame on the Lancet. To have a medical journal that is puportedly based on scientific method endorse this anecdotal piece of puff is beyond imagination. It appears that they have purposely deviated from the paramount principle in all scientific study and that is investigator subjective bias.

[Jack of all Trades]

I think doctors are near the top in terms of global health threats.

I mean really, Mothers and plumbers have probably done more to extend life expectancy and improve health than medical science.