Column: Here are some real but so far unconsidered consequences of climate change
- Abstract
When we say that the mean global temperature will rise by a couple of degrees, the normal reaction of people would be, “So what?” and some may even say that it may be good for the colder areas. Or when we say that we will lose some coastal land because of sea level rise, many people may say that it is something that the rich who own real estate on the beaches should worry about, not them. Or when we point out that the extreme climate events in the last five years — such as sudden floods in Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, West Virginia and other states and extreme drought in California — occurred due to ongoing climate change, most people don’t care because they are not personally affected. But there is something that everyone can relate to, the biggest impact of climate change: the emergence of new microorganisms and diseases. This is something not addressed by the media. The emergence of Zika and Ebola are examples of such changes that we can relate to, especially now that Zika is threatening to be one of the biggest health threats to the people of Florida in years.
- Resource Type
- Opinion/editorial
- Author
- Tampa Bay Times
- Date
- July 29, 2016
- Organization Type
- News
- Health and Human Impact
- Overview/general
- Solution
- Low carbon fuels/biofuels
- Other
- Education