The Health Hazards of One Degree
Rachel Morello, Professor, Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Linda Rudolph, Director, Center for Climate Change and Health, Public Health Institute
The reframing of cigarette smoke as a public health issue was a turning point in the tobacco wars. Can the same happen with climate change? Rising temperatures are implicated in recent health risks from the Zika virus to the algae blooms creating toxic soup in the Great Lakes and Pacific Ocean. Outdoor workers and poor people are especially at risk from severe heat, mosquitoes and illnesses that thrive in warmer conditions.
Already, the atmosphere has warmed about one degree celsius from pre-industrial times. That doesn’t sound like much, but one degree can have a big impact on the planet and people. And we are on a path to temperature increases of at least two degrees. A study on the Climate Gap co-authored by Rachel Morello found that climate disruption is already hurting the health of Californians living in low-income communities.
What is the outlook for public health in a warming world? Is California and the Bay Area prepared to deal with the medical impacts of a hot and crowded world? Join us for a conversation about how burning fossil fuels could impact your personal well-being and what you can do to protect yourself.
