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The high number of people who die in Ireland during the winter
months - particularly as a result of respiratory disease and
heart failure - may reduce thanks to global warming, an all-Ireland
conference on the health implications of climate change has
been told.
The conference, organised by the Institute of Public Health
In Ireland (IPH),
was told that Ireland has particularly high numbers of deaths
during winter months - largely ascribed to poor insulation
in homes and fuel poverty - when compared to other European
countries.
Addressing how climate change may affect health in Ireland,
NUI Maynooth lecturer John Sweeney said that, with a rise
in temperatures, it may be expected that fewer elderly and
infirm people will die during the winter.
However, the conference also warned that the close association
between mortality and temperatures could work the other way
around, with Prof Sweeney pointing out that high temperatures
recorded in Kilkenny in 2003 were closely followed by elevated
levels of mortality. In fact, he said, the European heat wave
that year had been responsible for the deaths of some 35,000
people.
In addition he said we can expect a range of food-borne diseases
- such as salmonella which was described as 'a barbecue
illness', malaria from growing numbers of the current
mosquito population and water problems caused by pollutants
such as campylobacter and E.coli.
The co-chair of the UK Climate and Health Council, Prof Mike
Gill, told the conference
in the College of Physicians in Dublin that, up to now, the
climate change debate has been mainly about environmental
or economic issues, but all the predicted damage and disruptions
have considerable health effects also.
“Just as public health professionals should have been more
alert earlier to the obesity epidemic, now we should be collaborating
with colleagues in other disciplines and sectors to plan for
and respond to the health dimensions of climate change,” he
warned. In terms of climate change, mitigation - such as better
building regulations and insulation - “what is good for the
climate is good for health,” Prof Gill added.
The head of the Sustainable Development Commission in Northern
Ireland, Jim Kitchen, cited clear links between climate change
and health. “Using cleaner energy can help in reducing respiratory
disease, encouraging people to use public transport - cycling
and walking can help reduce cardiovascular diseases - and
promoting sustainable diets will help in tackling obesity
and diabetes,” he said.
Environment Minister, John Gormley, who opened the conference,
said he had been disappointed that the December climate change
conference in Copenhagen had not resulted in more positive
agreements on tackling climate change.
He said developing countries had argued strongly they would
not be denied their development phase due to global climate
change mitigation measures. However, he said, the EU negotiating
bloc was not representing one voice on the subject and hoped
the next conference in Mexico would bring greater agreement.
Source - The Irish Times
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