EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health

Managing Health Effects of Climate Change

Summary
Students will be introduced to the global effects of climate change on human health.
The lesson(s) focuses on how governmental and nongovernmental organi!ations
manage and respond climate change. Students in engage in a concept mapping activit"
related to the health issues that will impact the countries the" selected for their final
adaptation pro#ect. $uest facilitator% &atric' (inne"% )irector of *olumbia+s *limate and
Health &rogram% answers students ,uestions related to -ulnerabilit" and .daptation
.ssessment for the countr" the" selected for their final adaptation pro#ect.
Learning Obecti!e
/n this lesson% students will0
/dentif" the wa"s global climate change has or will impact global human health.
1nderstand adaptation strategies that can respond to human health concerns.
23plore the role of nation states in managing this growing crisis.
"ssigned Student #reparation
4ead0
/ntroduction
*limate change0 The biggest globalhealth threat of the 21st centur"
http055www.ucl.ac.u'5news5newsarticles50607506071701
(8 pages)
$lobal &erspective
http055www.ucl.ac.u'5global health 5ucllancetclimatechange.pdf
(98 pages s'im general information p. 1:681800)
1S &erspective
1S $lobal *hange 4esearch &rogram0 Human Health (2006)
http055downloads.globalchange.gov5usimpacts5pdfs5 health .pdf
(10 pages)
.daptation /mplementation &lan
&rotecting Health from *limate *hange0 -ulnerabilit" and .daptation
.ssessment
http055www.who.int5globalchange5mediacentre5events520105costa;rica;consultati
on;2008105-.;$uidance;)iscussion.pdf
(/ntroduction p. <11% Table of *ontents% s'im rest of document)
=enefits and *o=enefits
The health benefits of tac'ling climate change% The >ancet
http055download.thelancet.com5flatcontentassets5series5 health andclimate
change.pdf
(< pages)
-iew0
&atric' *allahan 2011 1
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health
?H@ &ower&oint &iloting *limate *hange .daptation to &rotect Human
Health (www.who.int5globalchange5news5$2A;&ro#ect.pps)
(4eview 28 slides)
$eli!ery %ote& 2nsure all documents are still posted.
#reparation before Class
&rovide guest spea'er with information conte3tual information for course5class
and classroom location
)ivide up class into two groups (. pro climate changeB = against climate change)
for the *onstructive *ontrovers" activit" ne3t class
Home'or( to Collect and )rade
How would "ou conduct a *limate and Health -ulnerabilit" and .daptation .ssessment
for "our countr"C /dentif"0
?hat 'ind of data would "ou want to collectC
?ho would "ou need to get around the tableC
4eferences at least two readings in response (use M>. format)
Opening "cti!ity * +ntroduction to Resilience,-ulnerability and Concept
Maps,Concept Models
(27 minutes)
1. 4eferring to first slide of &ower&oint presentation Stephanie poses the following
,uestion to initiate discussion0 $uess which 2 groups of graduate students did best
in creating an interdisciplinar" approach within 2 da"sC
2. Stephanie continues brief &ower&oint outlining0
a. The concepts of resilience5vulnerabilit" D referring to ?H@ ppt
http055www.populationaction.org5&ublications5?or'ing;&apers5-ulnerabilit
";and;4esilience5Malone;resilience.pdf
http055www.pnl.gov5main5publications5e3ternal5technical;reports5&EE>
1<19:.pdf
http055www.proventionconsortium.org5themes5default5pdfs5*4.52M.;200
1;meth.pdf
b. How to create concept maps5conceptual models and wh" the" are useful as
planning5communication tools.
Heems'er'% M.% ?ilson% (.% F &arvaoGuc'erman% M. 2009. *onceptual
models as tools for communication across disciplines. *onservation
2colog" 801<.
http055www.columbia.edu5He'27805?inowiec'i;et;al.;Tools;for;enhancin
g;interdisciplinar";communication.pdf
)roup "cti!ity * Concept Mapping
(40 minutes)
2. /n pairs of similar countries% students each prepare a concept map for their own
countr" identif"ing
c. Their most pressing health concerns
d. The connections between them
e. The cobenefits of tac'ling these health issues D reducing vulnerabilit" and
&atric' *allahan 2011 2
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health
building resilience
9. Students present to the class
f. The 2 highest priorit" health concerns for their countr"
g. ?h" the" selected these 2
h. *obenefits of addressing these 2 issues
I. Stephanie tabulates the concerns on the board so students see commonalities as
well as differences
)roup $iscussion * Reponses to Student Concept Maps and .uestions
(20 minutes)
1. &at (inne" responds to students as appropriate.
2. &at (inne" facilitates a discussion of the ,uestions and concerns identified in the
Monda" responses D including his perspectives on issues associated with
implementing adaptation strategies.
$eli!ery %ote& .s alwa"s% circulate around the room to help an" students who ma" be
struggling or confused. Students ma" have trouble understanding the tas'% so be
available to help with te3tbased ,uestions.
Wrap*/p
(15 minutes)
1. Summari!e student 'nowledge.
2. )ivide students into preassigned groups (. &ro climate changeB = against climate
change) for the *onstructive *ontrovers" activit" ne3t class (email absent students
their group assignment).
&atric' *allahan 2011 3
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health
)lobal Health +mpacts and Responses * Resources $escriptions and Learning
E0tensions
Multimedia,Resources
1. $lobal Health -ideo http055www.ucl.ac.u'5news5newsarticles50607506071701
)escription0 Scientists% law professors% and economists discuss the Lancet report that
details the impacts of global climate change. The" highlight the more dramatic%
impending effects0 no monsoons leading to increased drought% increased glacial melt
resulting in a decrease of available fresh water% the reversal of beneficial global health
trends (such as vector born diseases and infant mortalit")% and threats to global food
securit" (lin'ing bac' to prior lesson).
4ecommended 1se0 The video sets up the adaptation strategies presented in the
Eational $eographic -ideo (about minute 7) that will be part of ?H@+s strateg" for
adapting to climate changes effects on human health% which is the centerpiece of these
classes. .lso% it raises the specter of a ver" large ,uestion0 global climate change as a
social problem versus a science issue.
9. 4oberto =ertolini /nterview on global health impacts of climate change
http055earths'".org5health5robertobertolliniwarnsofglobalhealthimpactsofclimate
change
)escription0 =ertolini% the coordinator of the ?orld Health @rgani!ation global program
on climate change% discusses the ramifications of climate change. /n the ?est% the rise
in air pollution will result in the increased incidence of illnesses. /n the developing world%
vector born diseases will increase. He gives some estimates in terms of 170%000 deaths
in 2000 attributable to climate change impacts. He also states that this number has at
least doubled between 20002007 and this trend will onl" get worse.
4ecommended 1se0 =ertolini continues the line of thought in the 1niversit" *ollege of
>ondon video on global health. *limate change is going to impact the poor the most.
He also disputes the common misconception that there is a universal climate increase
the increase is an average. *limate change is a locali!ed problem. /t presents an
opportunit" to address common climate change misconceptions as applied to or related
to health.
I. Eational $eographic $lobal *limate *hange% J. ?a" Aorward%K video
http055video.nationalgeographic.com5video5pla"er5environment5globalwarming
environment5wa"forwardclimate.html
)escription0 The end of the video presents a variet" of ver" clear /&**
recommendations to adapt to climate change0 stabili!e emissions of greenhouse gases
(limiting b" 259 b" 2070)% modif" consumption patterns through more stringent
government polic"% improve forest management practices% alter the prices of greenhouse
gases so the costs associated with their production and use reflect their impact on the
environment.
4ecommended 1se0 . common thread arises. The regions least responsible for
climate change will be the hardest hit. /n light of this unit% the effect on human health will
&atric' *allahan 2011 4
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health
be dramatic in the developing world. This could be used during the second class in the
global health unit.
)ame,"cti!ity Resources
1. ?H@ J&iloting *limate *hange .daptation to &rotect Human HealthK &ower&oint
)escription0 J&iloting *limate *hange .daptation to &rotect Human HealthK intends to
increase the adaptive capacit" of health care providers in response to the rapidl"
changing climate.
4ecommended 1se0 The &ower&oint could be illustrative of how global health adaptive
strategies can be graduall" escalated from the local to regional to national to global
scales.
/n this group activit"% students select a countr" and its suggested adaptation strateg".
The" anal"!e how the strateg" can be implemented and the challenges it presentsB
additionall" tac'ling how it is both a social and a science problem (and the uni,ue issues
associated with each How do "ou address each% which are often times viewed as
mutuall" e3clusiveC How do "ou ma'e the science of global climate change to the
people who will have to enact the adaptive strategies)C 4eview readings. Students will
also address the application of the program to Eew Lor' *it". ?hat challenges does
Eew Lor' share (or that are different from) the countr" under e3aminationC This will be
the thread connecting this unit to *ase Stud" EL*.

Course Reading $escriptions and Recommendations&
1. The Eational /nstitutes of Health0 Health 2ffects of *limate *hange%
'''1nih1go!,about,researchresultsforthepublic,climate2change1pdf
)escription0 . fact sheet detailing the effects of climate change on health organi!ed
temporall" b" JLesterda"%K JToda"%K and JTomorrow.K @verall% the document spea's to
the increase in heat stress% disease increase as a result of heat increase (disease victors
will increase)% the increased e3posure of pollutants% and the increased use of agricultural
chemicals to deal with heat stress on crops.
4ecommended 1se0 )ocument illustrative of how each health effect spirals into or out of
the other. /n essence% there+s a domino effect resulting from the increased temperature.
.lso% the document identifies how not a lot is 'nown about the Jsustainabilit" of the
adaptive responses to climate change.K This is an interesting point that should be
addressed in the group activit" what+s the greatest challenge0 creating an adaptive
strateg" or sustaining it over time so that it is actuall" effectiveC
2. Eew Scientist% J*limate *hange diagnosed as biggest global health threatK
http055www.newscientist.com5article5dn1812:climatechangediagnosedasbiggest
globalhealththreat.html
)escription0 *limate change magnifies ever" global health issue from heart disease to
vector born infectious diseases. The article demonstrates how cities% which are alread"
stressed due to population pressures% will have overloaded infrastructures. Heat waves%
drought and other events that are a direct result of climate change will affect more
&atric' *allahan 2011 5
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011) Managing Health
people.
4ecommended use0 Shows how 2 degrees *elsius that average increase so often
thrown around can have terrif"ing implications for global health.
9. 2&.% J*limate *hange Health and 2nvironmental 2ffects%K
http055www.epa.gov5climatechange5effects5health.html
)escription0 /llustrates the magnitude of climate change0 loss of life% damage to
biodiversit"% increases to the number and range of Jinfective parasites.K The rise in
ambient temperature can lead to increases in air and water pollution% which in turn
negativel" impacts human health. The document summari!es /&** findings related to
climate change with eas" to follow headers.
4ecommended 1se0 /n addition to delineating the impacts of climate change% the page
provides information related to assessment tools on climate change impacts as well as
documents prepared to help people to adapt to climate change. This document could be
used to supplement adaptive strategies identified in the ?H@ &ower&oint.
I. 1S *limate *hange Science &rogram% J.nal"ses of the effects of global change on
human health and welfare and human s"stems%K
http055www.climatescience.gov5>ibrar"5sap5sapI:5default.php
)escription0 .n interagenc" program designed to integrate federal research on global
climate change produced this report (with the 2&. as the lead agenc") to assess the
effects of global climate change as well as to recommend adaptive strategies.
4ecommended 1se0 /t+s a dense report% but students could read the e3ecutive summar"
section. /t+s a sobering report that+s indicative of a prett" rough predicament we find
ourselves in (especiall" if we don+t act). The itemi!ation and anal"sis of health effects
serve as a call to action. This document can be used as a primar" source in the global
adaptive strategies document. *ertainl" certain vector born diseases% incidents of
drought% etc. will impact the 1S on a var"ing local and regional scale. /n terms of their
adaptation to strategies for Eew Lor' *it"% students can identif" the human health%
welfare% and s"stem effects that will hit closest to home.
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