Your Health and a Changing Climate: Newsletter - Volume 2

Publications And Conferences

Climate and Health Summer Colloquium

This six day colloquium, hosted by the Advanced Study Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the NCAR Weather and Climate Impacts Assessment Science Initiative, in partnership with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization, was held July 21-28, 2004. Topics included:

1. tools available to health researchers for analysing extreme climate events and for downscaling climate change information;
   
   
2. demonstration of the utility of satellite remote sensing to study diseases that change with climate and/or land use;
   
   
3. integrated modelling (e.g. applied to climate/air pollution studies) and strategies for communicating scientific findings and uncertainties.

>>> For more information and a copy of the presentations, visit the colloquium website at www.asp.ucar.edu/colloquium/2004/CH or contact Rebecca at rhaacker@ucar.edu

Heat-waves: risks and responses Health and Global Environmental Change Series, No. 2. World Health Organization 2004.

>>> Available electronically at www.euro.who.int/globalchange

A changing climate is expected to increase average summer temperatures and the frequency and intensity of hot days.

Heat-waves in Europe are associated with significant increases in illnesses and deaths. A preliminary analysis of the 2003 heat-wave in Europe estimated that it caused 14 802 excess deaths in France, 2045 excess deaths in the United Kingdom, 2099 in Portugal.

This report addresses the health impact of heat as well as aspects of prevention and adaptation such as heat health warning systems, urban planning elements and aspects of building design.

Climate Change and Human Health - Risks and Responses

by A.J. McMichael, D.H. Campbell-Lendrum, C.F. Corval¡in, K.L. Ebi, A. Githeko, J.D. Scheraga and A. Woodward

This book, published by the World Health Organization in collaboration with United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization, describes the context and process of global climate change, its actual or likely impacts on health, and how human societies and their governments should respond

>>> A summary of the book is available electronically at:
http://www.who.int/globalchange/publications/cchhbook/en/

Using Climate to Predict Disease Outbreaks: A Review. WHO 2004

This document evaluates the current and future potential of climate-based disease early warning as a means of improving preparedness for, and response to, epidemics. Based on the history of Early Warning System(EWS) development to date, the authors develop a conceptual framework for constructing and evaluating climate-based EWS. They identify the climate-sensitive diseases of major public health importance and review the current state of the art in climate-based modelling of these diseases, as well as future requirements and recommendations.

>>> available electronically at www.who.int/globalchange/publications

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: A Canadian Perspective

This document provides a review of the recent Canadian impacts and adaptation research (post-1997) and also highlights results from research funded by the Impacts and Adaptation component of the Climate Change Action Fund. The report provides information on various sectors such as water resources, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, coastal zone and health, as well as general information on impacts and adaptation, advances in research techniques and the remaining knowledge gaps.

>>> For more information, visit www.adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca

For More Information on Climate Change and Health Visit: www.hc-sc.gc.ca
www.c-ciarn.ca/health or email us at: climatinfo@hc-sc.gc.ca