Introduction
Climate change is as a subject of worldwide concerns because of its overarching effects on global health. It leads to increasing global average temperature and heat waves, consequently exacerbating cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and chronic kidney (Hess et al., 2020). Other threats to global health are pollutants from households, industries, municipalities, and hospitals. Chemicals, sludge, and degrading elemental resources are dangerous to humans and the ecosystem. Furthermore, pandemics, such as influenza and COVID-19, interrupt worldwide human well-being. The paper discusses impacts of global health, symptoms of broken systems, pollution, and pandemic threats.
Climate Change
Ethics Morality
Many nations move towards domestic legal frameworks and international treaties to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, they are not keen on the duty of care, intergenerational justice, and ethical adherence (Tong et al., 2019). The US government’s Export-Import Bank and World Bank still offer multi-billion resource to coal-fired plants. Conversely, those in the US produced 72% of greenhouse gases in 2010 (Tong et al., 2019). Disturbingly, an estimated 600 deaths due to cardio-pulmonary diseases originated from the effects of World Bank-funded coal-fired plants (Tong et al., 2019). Authorities, the private sector, and financiers have the moral obligation and facilitate initiatives with no impact on human health and climate change.
Number of Statistics
Impact on Global Health
Extremely high air temperature is a direct contributor to death cases from respiratory and cardiovascular complications in elderly individuals. Europe recorded about 70 000 excess deaths in the 2003 summer heatwave (Junk et al., 2019). Similarly, variable rainfall patterns due to climate change cause freshwater scarcity. Inadequate amount of safe water compromises hygiene and amplifies water-borne disease potential. Diarrhoeal illnesses kill more than 500 00 children aged below five years per annum (Junk et al., 2019). Individual choices and policies should focus on carbon emission reduction and produce health benefits.
Symptoms of a Broken System
Signs of broken systems are temperature rise, sea level increase, and extreme drought. The global land’s average temperate in 2019 was 0.95 degrees Celsius above the twentieth-century estimate of 13.9 degrees Celsius (Lyons et al., 2018). Likewise, mean sea-level increase globally is approximately eight inches since 1880, and a third of the rise happened in the last two and a half decades (Lyons et al., 2018). About 85% of documented disasters originate from climate change instigated droughts, heat waves, and cyclones (Lyons et al., 2018). Authorities and private sectors should take drastic actions to adapt to the impacts of temperature upsurge, sea level escalation, and drought.
Pollution
Environmental Waste
Wastes are non-prime product materials, which municipalities, industries, hospitals do not need for production, consumption, and production purposes. Municipal litters those originate from households, commercial activities, and demolition. Industrial wastes include concrete, gravel, solvents, scrap lumber, chemicals, and scrap metals (Ali et al., 2019). Hospital wastes are infectious materials, infusion kits, and bandages. Hazardous materials are radioactive elements, explosives, and electronic equipment. Notably, the key sources of environmental wastes are municipals, hazards, industries, and hospitals.
The Effect of Long Term Polluting
Water, land, and air pollution
Micro-organisms and chemicals from water pollution render rivers, lakes, streams, and aquifers toxic to humans and the environment. Likewise, solid and liquid waste contaminate soil and underground water (Campbell-Lendrum et al., 2019). The primary air pollutants harmful to humans, living organisms, and built or natural environment are particulates, chlorofluorocarbons, and biological molecules (Campbell-Lendrum et al., 2019). Pollutants in soil, water, and air affect social and environmental determinants of health.
Wasting Elemental Resources
Metal compounds used as coatings, electronic equipment, and alloys usually end up as wastes. Sewage sludge, smelting operations, and dredged materials have metal-containing litters (Guo et al., 2020). Besides, degenerative elemental materials from electronic equipment are arsenic, lead, mercury, chromium, and cobalt (Guo et al., 2020). They can cause thyroid dysfunction, reduced lung function, adverse congenital disabilities, and behavioral changes. Workers get exposed to degrading essential resources when they management them inappropriately.
Pandemic Threats
Coronavirus
COVID-19 exposed the way worldwide vigilance to infectious diseases is fragile. The pandemic infected 1 500 000 patients and killed 88 000 people in three months (Van Damme et al., 2020). Cough, fever, and short breath are the main COVID-19 symptoms, and they appear after fourteen days (Van Damme et al., 2020). Adults aged 60 years and above and individuals with diabetes, heart problems, and lung diseases are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19.
Influenza
Population Suffering
Seasonal influenza occurs during cold seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres’ winters and circulates in the tropics throughout the year. The pandemic kills around 650 000 people per annum (Faust et al., 2020). Its symptoms are cough, muscle pain, headache, and runny nose (Faust et al., 2020). The most vulnerable population is older people, children below five-year-old, individuals with weak immunity, and pregnant women.
Health System Facts
Influenza is a contagious flu, and a person without symptoms can pass the signs after three days of infection. The onset of influenza symptoms can occur on the first day after exposure. The predominant circulating viruses differ from one season to another (Faust et al., 2020). The principal virus strains are influenza A (H1N1), influenza B, and influenza A (H3N2). Therefore, people need different vaccines yearly as a protective mechanism.
Conclusion
Climate change, pollution, and pandemic threats have tremendous effects on global health. High temperatures directly contribute to respiratory complications and cardiovascular diseases. Water, air, and soil pollutions are disastrous to humans, living organisms, and the environment. Similarly, COVID-19 and influenza are dangerous to the elderly, children, and people with compromised immunity. International and local authorities reduce GHG emissions, lower pollution rates, and prepare for pandemic threats.
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