Public Health Impacts of Global Warming

Heat waves and deaths from hyperthermia, fresh water shortages (due to combined effects of global warming, overpopulation and water pollution) with wars fought over fresh water. Air pollution related to greenhouse gases (increased disease and death due to heart attack, stroke, asthma, emphysema, lung cancer, allergy). Ozone depletion leading to increased cataracts, melanoma, extreme weather events (floods and storms).

  Water-borne and food-borne diseases (toxic algal blooms like red tide, survival of viral pathogens leading to shellfish poisoning, cholera). Vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases (mosquitoes, ticks, rodents) are increased. Elevated seas levels (population exodus, aquifers threatened in San Francisco and New Orleans). Crop failures and famine economic and political stress may damage public health infrastructure.