cc health women 2014-final

8/12/2019 CC Health Women 2014-Final

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Climate Change, Womens Health,and What We Can/Should Do

CSW58 / UU-UNO

Jan W. Dash, PhDChair, UU-UNO Climate Initiative

Matchmaker, Climate Science Rapid Response Team

March 2014

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Ex: Crops down by 2100 (IPCC Vol II, TS.7)

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CROP YIELDS DOWN WHEN TEMP UP


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Climate Change and Health

! "Climate change is the biggest globalhealth threat of the 21st century.

! Effects of climate change on health will affectmost populations in the next decades and put thelives and wellbeing of billions of people atincreased risk.

! Ref:"Managing the health effects of climatechange",Anthony Costello et. al; Vol373May16, 2009

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Climate Impacts & Health IPCC 2007

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HEALTH


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3 specific examples of climate

impacts on women, #1: Disasters! Men and women are affected differently in

all phases of a disaster ! IPCC 2007, Vol II, Chapter 8, p. 398

! Ex: In the 1991 cyclone disasters that killed140 000 people in Bangladesh, 90% of victims

were women (WHO report; Aguilar, 2004)

! Heat wave in Europe! Climate change => more extreme events

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#2 Ex: Water Shortages

! In most developing countries, women areresponsible for collecting, storing, protecting

and distributing water

! In times of water scarcity women have tocarry water home from unsafe sources. This

can lead to water-related diseases such as

diarrhoeal disease, which in developing

countries is a leading cause of death among

children under 5 years of age (WHO &

UNICEF, 2005)

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#3 Ex: Food Insecurity

Inuit Women (Canadian Journal Public Health 2010)

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!CLIMATE

!FOOD

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What can we do?

Climate Risk Management! Recognition of risks: 2 types

! Average risk: probable, low impact! Extreme risk: less probable, high impact

! The best way to think about the responseto climate is RISK MANAGEMENT

! Rational response to risk - lower it!! If dont act, todays extreme climate risktomorrows averageclimate risk

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Climate Mitigation no silver bullet.

Progress exists (good). We need MORE! Action by individuals! Action by organizations

! Corporations, Universities, Faith-based, NGOs! Action at all levels of government

! City, State, Regional, National, International! Action to support non-fossil energy

! Carbon tax (put a price on carbon)! Investor action (divestment, shareholders)

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Climate Ethics why we should act

! Climate justice:! Poor have the smallest effect on climate are

hurt the worst! Women and children in developing countries

! Intergenerational ethics:! Lives of our descendants! More humane for preventive action by us now

rather than requiring expensive disasteradaption by our descendants in the future

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Reference: climate.uu-uno.org

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Bottom Line on Climate:

Big Problem that We Can Solve! Human activities are causing recent global

warming / climate change

! Climate impacts bad, observed now, willbecome far worse if we do not act! Health impacts will be very bad

! NOTtoo late! We have the technology, just need the will! We need optimism (no other choice)

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Thank You

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APPENDIX: QUICK SCIENCE REVIEW:

Global warming exists, due to us. Graph: Natural

variation removed (El Nios/La Nias, volcanoes, sun):

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Temperature Forecasts depend on

Human Behavior (Model scenarios)

IPCC 2007

Science Vol I

Now appear

conservative

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APPENDIX: Contrarians / Deniers

and Opposition to climate action! We Have No Climate Risk4 trenches:

1. Deny global warming exists2. Deny human influence on climate3. Minimize climate impact risk4. Exaggerate cost of climate action mitigation

! Create doubt = old tobacco tactic! Science cant prove so we shouldnt act

! Oppose climate action, renewable energy! Sponsors: libertarian think tanks, fossil fuel interests

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cc health women 2014-final

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