Wednesday, September 24, 2008
WHO warns climate change poses health risks (3:10 p.m.)
MANILA - - The World Health Organization called for urgent action Wednesday to address public health risks posed by global warming to countries in the Asia Pacific, including a rise in diseases and food shortages.
Participants in a weeklong regional WHO conference in Manila are considering a draft proposal urging governments and international agencies to incorporate health concerns into plans to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
It says governments should undertake studies and promote awareness on the public health impact of global warming and boost measures to ease its effects, noting data have been limited, often inconsistent and seldom shared in a transparent manner.
WHO should also provide technical guidance and facilitate funds from donors for climate change and health-related programs in the region, it added.
The draft proposal cited the promotion of non-motorized transport systems, like bicycles, and the use of fewer private vehicles as examples of measures that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
Outgoing WHO regional chief Shigeru Omi told the conference Tuesday that climate change is among the top health challenges facing countries in the region, where cases of dengue, malaria and other diseases could jump.
"Rising oceans could soon threaten our low-lying island states and areas in the Pacific," Omi said.
Global surface warming by 2090-2099 is projected to increase between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees Celsius (2 to 12 Fahrenheit), and the mean global sea level is projected to rise 30-60 (1-2 feet) by 2100, mainly due to thermal expansion of the ocean, the draft paper said.
That could expand the range of mosquitoes that carry malaria and dengue, threaten low-lying island states and cause heat waves and droughts that threaten food security, Omi warned.
"A warmer planet has contributed to some diseases, such as dengue, now occurring in areas where it was never seen before," he said.(AP) |
