Luschkova Daria, Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia, Ludwig Alika
Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
University Outpatient Clinic of Environmental Medicine, Augsburg University Hospital, Augsburg, Germany.
Allergo J Int. 2022;31(4):114-120. doi: 10.1007/s40629-022-00212-x. Epub 2022 Jun 8.
The climate crisis poses a major challenge to human health as well as the healthcare system and threatens to jeopardize the medical progress made in recent decades. However, addressing climate change may also be the greatest opportunity for global health in the 21st century. The climate crisis and its consequences, such as rising temperatures, forest fires, floods, droughts, and changes in the quality and quantity of food and water, directly and indirectly affect human physical and mental health. More intense and frequent heat waves and declining air quality have been shown to increase all-cause mortality, especially among the most vulnerable. Climate warming alters existing ecosystems and favors biological invasions by species that better tolerate heat and drought. Pathogen profiles are changing, and the transmission and spread of vector-borne diseases are increasing. The spread of neophytes in Europe, such as ragweed, is creating new pollen sources that increase allergen exposure for allergy sufferers. In addition, the overall milder weather, especially in combination with air pollution and increased CO levels, is changing the production and allergenicity of pollen. The phenomenon of thunderstorm asthma is also occurring more frequently. In view of the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases due to climate change, early causal immunomodulatory therapy is therefore all the more important. During a climate consultation, patients can receive individual advice on climate adaptation and resilience and the benefits of CO reduction-for their own and the planet's health. Almost 5% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Europe come from the healthcare sector. It thus has a central responsibility for a climate-neutral and sustainable transformation.
气候危机对人类健康以及医疗保健系统构成了重大挑战,并有可能危及近几十年来取得的医学进步。然而,应对气候变化也可能是21世纪全球健康面临的最大机遇。气候危机及其后果,如气温上升、森林火灾、洪水、干旱以及食物和水的质量与数量变化,直接或间接地影响着人类的身心健康。研究表明,更强烈、更频繁的热浪以及空气质量下降会增加全因死亡率,尤其是在最脆弱人群中。气候变暖改变了现有的生态系统,有利于更耐热耐旱的物种进行生物入侵。病原体分布正在发生变化,媒介传播疾病的传播和扩散也在增加。豚草等新植物在欧洲的蔓延正在产生新的花粉源,增加了过敏患者接触过敏原的机会。此外,总体上较为温和的天气,尤其是与空气污染和一氧化碳水平升高相结合时,正在改变花粉的产生和致敏性。雷暴哮喘现象也越来越频繁地出现。鉴于气候变化导致过敏性疾病的患病率不断上升,早期因果免疫调节疗法因此变得更加重要。在气候咨询期间,患者可以获得关于气候适应和恢复力以及减少碳排放对自身和地球健康益处的个性化建议。欧洲所有温室气体排放中近5%来自医疗保健部门。因此,它对气候中和及可持续转型负有核心责任。