"Climate Change is Becoming One of the Biggest Global Health Threats"

Climate change not only affects the environment, but also has significant consequences on global health. Prof. Guéladio Cissé of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) explains where we stand, and what we can do to address these consequences. He is a co-organizer of the 2-day Swiss TPH Symposium "Climate Change and Health", which starts this Thursday, 5 December. Mr. Cissé, what are the health consequences of climate change? The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050 could be due to climate change - with vulnerable populations being the most affected. There is no more denying the various effects that climate change has and will have on health; it is becoming one of the biggest global health threats of this century. We know that increasing temperatures are associated with extreme weather events, which all have an impact on health. Can you give us some examples? When we talk about extreme weather events, people think of fires and floods, which are the obvious ones; but other events such as heatwaves have consequences on morbidity and mortality of vulnerable groups worldwide. Temperatures also affect water quality and hence, waterand food-borne diseases. In addition, climate change affects vector distribution and ecology - we see increasing temperatures creating a breeding ground for diseases such as malaria and dengue, which are transmitted through mosquitos. Do you think enough is being done to combat the threat of climate change on health?