Climate Change and the Role of Public Health in Egypt

Abstract

Climate change (CC) refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. CC is a serious issue in the current era. It has direct, indirect, and ecosystem-mediated health impacts leading to many life-threating effects. Climate change presents a global public health problem, with serious health impacts predicted to manifest in varying ways in different parts of the world. A variety of factors, both natural and human, can influence the earth’s climate system to make adverse changes, where the human causes are the main factor. Environmental health comprises those aspects of human health that are determined by physical, chemical, biological, social, and psychosocial factors in the environment and also quality of life. Certain groups of people and communities are especially vulnerable, including children, the elderly, the sick, the poor, and some communities of color. The Egyptian citizen will be affected by the impact of the various development paths. Thus, an effective public health response to climate change is essential to prevent injuries and illnesses, enhancing public health preparedness, and reducing risk. International cooperation toward climate change will eliminate other changes that amplify some of the existing health threats that the nation now faces. If all countries do not address the danger of climate change, everyone will be affected. Adaptation with such changes will be more difficult and costly in the future if radical changes are not taken soon. All countries should bear responsibility as they also bear the burden of CC. Public health professionals are the key keepers for community needs and health promotion activities to achieve a better quality of life. Egypt’s efforts began since Paris Summit (2015) and still continue. Egypt is implementing many projects that underscore adaptation on the priorities of climate change. Accordingly, the problem and clarification of the magnitude of Egyptian efforts to mitigate and adopt the CC threats will be discussed in this chapter.