Changes in the global atmosphere, including climate change and depletion of the ozone layer, have profound implications for the earth's ecosystems of which humans are a part.
The changes in climate around world, including temperature shifts and extreme weather, have the potential to disrupt economic, social and local environmental conditions in ways that, individually or combined, can negatively affect human health
Health Canada has highlighted these risks. They include:
Depletion of the Ozone Layer
The trend towards thinning of atmospheric ozone, particularly around the North and South poles, means that increased amounts of ultraviolet radiation are reaching ground level.
Research in this field has shown a connection between decreased immune system disorders such as skin cancer and increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Health was given a chapter in Agenda 21, the accord signed by participants at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro.
Health was considered an important link in sustainable development because . . .
Sustaining Our Health: Health Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), issued by Health Minister Allan Rock in November 1997, focuses on promoting and supporting population health within a framework of sustainable development. The goal: to ensure continued good health for Canadians within a new economic model that sustains growth with minimal impact on the environment.
The Pan American Indicators Project collects information on many different facets of health. They do not directly link health with environmental conditions but do link to socio-economic factors.Broad categories include:
The World Health Organization has categorized risks to human health from environmental factors into two categories: traditional and modern.
Traditional environmental risks have a major influence on health when countries are in the early stages of development and within poorer communities of developed nations. They include:
Global Systems and Human Health
The 1998 ice storm that hit northeastern North America is an example of the type of extreme weather conditions predicted to occur with climate warming.
See Adverse Health Effects Associated with 1998 Ice StormDepletion of stratospheric ozone is expected to lead to an increase in the amount of UVB radiation present in sunlight. In addition to its well-known ability to cause skin cancer, UVB radiation has been shown to alter the immune system. The immune system is the body's primary defence mechanism against infectious diseases and protects against the development of certain types of cancer. Any impairment of immune function may jeopardize health by increasing susceptibility to infectious diseases, increasing the severity of infections or delaying recovery from infections. In addition, impaired immune function can increase the incidence of certain cancers, particularly cancers of the skin.
Source: Chronic Diseases in Canada, Volume 18, No.1 - 1997
Symposium Report: Second Symposium on Ultraviolet Radiation-related Diseases -
Christina J Mills, Konia Trouton and Laurie Gibbons
Agenda 21 and Health"Health and development are intimately interconnected. Both insufficient development leading to poverty and inappropriate development resulting in overconsumption, coupled with an expanding world population, can result in severe environmental health problems in both developing and developed nations. Action items under Agenda 21 must address the primary health needs of the world's population, since they are integral to the achievement of the goals of sustainable development and primary environmental care."
Linking health, environmental and socio-economic improvements requires intersectoral efforts — including education, housing, public works and community groups, businesses, schools and universities and religious, civic and cultural organizations — aimed at enabling people in their communities to ensure sustainable development. Particularly relevant is the inclusion of prevention programmes rather than relying solely on remediation and treatment.
Health Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy
Incorporating Health into Environmental Assessments
Basic Health Indicators
Health Risks from Environmental Factors
Modern environmental risks to health result from higher levels of industrial production and consumption of natural resources, and include:
Modern health risks can replace traditional ones but even this type of transition can be threatened by often unpredictable factors such as the emergence of new infectious diseases or the occurrence of old diseases in geographical areas where they have not previously appeared.
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