A new report by the Dutch public health institute has made a direct statistical link between climate change and worsening health across a range of conditions in the Netherlands, from respiratory illnesses and infectious diseases to mental health and, ultimately, mortality.
The report by the RIVM looks at climate change in the country over 30 years, from 1991 to 2020. It finds that the most telling evidence of the link is the number of heat-related deaths – which are now taking “a measurable toll” of 250 additional deaths a year, and rising.
“Climate change leads to warmer days, particularly days above 20 degrees Celsius”, says the report, published on Tuesday. “There are also more heatwaves, which last longer and are hotter. As a result, more people die than usual.”
Temperatures are far from the only problem. Apart from “extreme heat”, the institute lists worsening air quality, longer allergy seasons and the more rapid spread of infectious diseases as “key risks” that are “likely to intensify in the coming years.”
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Certain infectious diseases, such as Legionnaires’, for instance, are becoming more prevalent, the report finds. This is because legionella bacteria thrive in warm water and can be inhaled during heavy rainfall following warm, dry spells.
Similarly, ticks are active for longer periods as winters become milder. As a result, tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease – which causes a rash often mistaken for the effect of a mosquito bite – are becoming more common.
Air quality and therefore allergy-related health problems are also worsening, says the report.
Hot dry weather is often accompanied by elevated levels of pollen and ozone, known in combination as “summer smog”, which can cause serious respiratory conditions in people with pre-existing ailments such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The growing season for plants is also lasting longer. As a result, there are more hay fever cases, with a consequent increase in allergic symptoms and potentially dangerous severe reactions.
In addition, the increase in UV radiation exposure that comes with longer hours of sunshine, fewer clouds, and an increase in outdoor activities “significantly increases the risk of skin cancer”.
The RIVM report also identifies mental health as “an emerging area of concern linked to climate change.”
That’s because “the increasing threat of extreme weather events and the stress of dealing with them can negatively impact mental health”, the report says, leading to “anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions.”
Among the recommendations for policymakers to reduce the impact of climate change on mental health are strategies with mental health benefits that also reduce social inequality, such as “improved access to nature” focused on “vulnerable communities”.
The report says public awareness campaigns are crucial in many of these cases.
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