CP Research Proposal

The broad topic for the Contexts Project is climate change, which is an issue that should be attached more and more importance to. Climate change can be influential on various aspects; for my Contexts Project, I want to particularly introduce its impacts on human health. I plan to discuss this topic from three main different perspectives: the negative influence climate change brings to overall human health, to specific areas, and solutions governments and departments can do to reduce the negative consequences. 

Climate change can have devastating impacts on human health. According to several research I found, due to factors like greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and soil erosion, weather issues including global warming, heat waves and natural hazards are increasing at a rapid speed. This further increases mortality and disease rate, and decreases food production, thus seriously harming the overall human health. There are also directed articles focusing on influences that climate change brings to specific areas. One of the articles provides vast amounts of data to emphasize the consequences of climate change in Iran, including non-communicable diseases, water-borne diseases, food safety, and natural disasters. On the other hand, the article summarizes the actions done by the government and health, such as establishing a national working group on climate change and health. At the same time, however, there are challenges and problems waiting to be addressed. For example, the management and leadership role of health systems in decision-making and management of climate-related issues has not been as effective as possible; as well as lacking awareness among policymakers and health officials of the adverse consequences of climate change. 

In order to get governments and relevant departments to launch actions about it, many articles have studied how to prevent the negative consequences brought by climate change and made a series of very pertinent suggestions. I think it is important to analyze these articles because while understanding climate change, knowing how to prevent the related problems will help me receive a deeper apprehension of the topic. For example, the report, Climate Change and Health: Local Solutions to Local Challenges, goes into detail about what is reasonable for the U.S. government to do and what is not. It emphasizes that leveraging local data and expertise can drive effective solutions tailored to specific needs, which I found very important for understanding this whole topic. 

The historical content is mainly reflected in the contrast between the past and present environment and human health. The effects of climate change are ongoing; over the past few decades, extreme weather and natural disasters have increased, food production and quality have decreased, and the incidence of related diseases has increased dramatically. This historical and current contrast proves that climate change has taken an indelible toll on humans, and if we don’t act promptly, this damage will go further. 

Works Cited

Pacheco, Susan E. “Catastrophic Effects of Climate Change on Children's Health Start before Birth.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, American Society for Clinical Investigation, 3 Feb. 2020, https://www.jci.org/articles/view/135005. 

This article is written by Susan E. Pacheco, summarizing how climate change negatively influences the health development of children and unborn infants. The article emphasizes that children are the most affected by climate change, but the less responsible they are for it. According to the author’s research, death rates associated with heat waves and fires, malnutrition in poor areas due to reduced food production, and the transmission of diseases are all increased due to climate change. An unhealthy environment can have a negative impact on a child's development both before and after birth. Therefore, the author calls on her audience to pay more attention to how to prevent climate change from further harming children.

Mousavi, Arefeh, et al. “Climate Change and Health in Iran: A Narrative Review.” Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, Springer International Publishing, 2 Apr. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-020-00462-3

The author divided the article into two main parts: the impact of climate change on Iran and the measures the government needs to consider in response. There is no doubt that climate change has serious negative impacts on the country, including an increase in overall temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increased disease rates, decreased food safety, and increased natural disasters. Researchers provided comprehensive data and specific years to prove the severity of the influences that climate change causes. On the other hand, the article lists in great detail the measures designated by the government and the health sector to deal with climate change, as well as the shortcomings of these measures and the challenges they will face in the future.

Ebi, Kristie L., et al. “Extreme Weather and Climate Change: Population Health and Health System Implications.” Annual Reviews, 6 Jan. 2021, https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-012420-105026Links to an external site..

This article mainly focuses on the impacts extreme climate change brought to the countries around the world, and what governments can do to reduce the negative consequences caused by these extreme weathers. The authors begin by describing the consequences of extreme weather events caused by climate change, including hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, wildfires and floods. These natural hazards can have serious influences on human health, increasing mortality and all kinds of diseases. They also included how people’s mental health is influenced by climate change. Then the article centers on the actions taken by the governments and health department, and the existing problems. In general, governments and departments underestimated the influence of climate change, and they should put more effort into increasing health care and addressing inequalities in disaster risk.

Schramm, P.J., Ahmed, M., Siegel, H. et al. Climate Change and Health: Local Solutions to Local Challenges. Curr Envir Health Rpt 7, 363–370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-020-00294-1Links to an external site.

Pasquini, Lorena, et al. “Emerging Climate Change-Related Public Health Challenges in Africa: A Case Study of the Heat-Health Vulnerability of Informal Settlement Residents in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.” Science of The Total Environment, Elsevier, 29 July 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141355Links to an external site.

Nicholas, Patrice K., et al. “Climate Change and Population Health: Incorporating Stages of Nursing's Political Development.” Nursing Outlook, Mosby, 25 Sept. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.08.001Links to an external site.

Rossa-Roccor, Verena, et al. “Framing Climate Change as a Human Health Issue: Enough to Tip the Scale in Climate Policy?” The Lancet Planetary Health, Elsevier, 11 Aug. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00113-3Links to an external site.

Cianconi, Paolo, et al. “The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health: A Systematic Descriptive Review.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 1 Jan. 1AD, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00074Links to an external site.

Meierrieks, Daniel. “Weather Shocks, Climate Change and Human Health.” World Development, Pergamon, 23 Oct. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105228Links to an external site.

Xu, Rongbin, et al. “Wildfires, Global Climate Change, and Human Health.” New England Journal of Medicine, 21 Oct. 1970, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsr2028985