The risk of premature death due to temperature increases associated with global warming is six times higher for Europeans who are already suffering from respiratory problems, according to a paper published at the beginning of August 2009.
The European Respiratory Society (ERS), an EPHA member, has published a position paper which describes the heavy burden of temperature increases and poor air quality on people whose health is already compromised due to respiratory problems, such as asthma, respiratory tract infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For example, a one degree Celsius increase in temperature produces a 1-3% increase in deaths in the general population, but this same temperature increase results in a 6% increase in deaths among people with respiratory conditions.
ERS’ position paper is available here
According to Professor Jon Ayres, director of the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, UK and lead author of the paper in the European Respiratory Journal : "In the summer when temperatures rise significantly, the effect on patients with lung disease is marked. If we can provide better warning systems and information for respiratory patients, and encourage stronger EU action to mitigate the effects of climate change, fewer people will die unnecessarily."
ERS encourages its doctors to speak out and to educate healthcare professionals on the impact of hotter temperatures on their patients. ERS, the leading medical society for lung health, which brings together some 9000 respiratory clinicians and scientists in over 100 countries worldwide, is working together with the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) to emphasise the impact of climate change on health to policy makers in current discussions on climate change.
HEAL has welcomed the publication of ERS’s position paper, which represents a first from a specialist medical society. Representing more than 60 health and environment organisations, HEAL would like to see other specialist medical bodies producing similar position papers so that the scale of the impact of climate change on health becomes more widely known.
In June 2009, HEAL called upon the European Union to send a health delegation to the deal-making climate change talks in Copenhagen in December 2009. The aim is to draw attention to the often overlooked benefits of strong, "health-proofed" climate change policy for health.
The health effects of climate change are a serious issue that must be adequately addressed. EPHA fully supports ERS and HEAL in their efforts to ensure that the respiratory health effects and costs of climate change are considered in all discussions and recommended actions at the EU level.
Given Europe’s dedication to establish an effective climate change policy, it is vital to raise the importance of the health in this context.
