Heat waves that kill tens of thousands of people at once. Massive floods that not only destroy property but also spread typhoid and cholera. Mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and malaria, in areas that never saw such diseases before. A new pandemic far deadlier than COVID-19.
These are just a few of the dramatic potential health effects of unstoppable climate change — and not 50 years or a century from now, but possibly within the next decade.
Global summits routinely discuss the multifaceted dynamics of climate change — from the economic fallout of natural disasters to conflicts driven by precious resources — although the nexus between changing weather patterns and human health has not received as much attention. But the issue will be discussed at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, a sign that policymakers are increasingly recognizing the growing body of evidence that climate change is already wreaking havoc on human health.
About the author
Larry Luxner
Miami native Larry Luxner, a veteran journalist and photographer, has reported from more than 100 countries in Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for a variety of news outlets. He lived for many years in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., before relocating to Israel in January 2017.
