Climate Change
Climate Change Global climate change resulting from the accumulation of greenhouse gases, for example, is likely to have significant health effects, both direct and indirect. An average global temperature rise of 3-4°C. predicted for the year 2100 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will greatly increase the number of days in the United States with temperatures over 38°C(100°F). with a resulting ‘sharp rise in heat-related mortality. Deaths would occur primarily from heat strokes, heart attacks, and cerebral strokes.
The very young, poor, and elderly, as well as those with chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, are most at risk. Dusing the two-week heatwave of July 1993 in the eastern United States, 84 people died in Philadelphia alone as a result of the higher temperatures.