Climate Change and Human Health

Abstract

The approach of man to climate is marked by ambiguity. Climate was there first and man has always been aware of the inequality of power between climate and his species. In spite of daily concern about the weather, for shorter or longer periods he takes the climate for granted until he is suddenly reminded of itby an extraordinary event, a snowstorm, a hurricane, a drought, a flood or ash clouds after an earthquake. Man has made admirable efforts to reduce the impact of climates, but these achievements have never been more than modifications in relation to his own existence. In the end he has to accept the experience that he (or she) cannot outrun climate. The human species has developed during evolution to given climatic conditions and, hence, directly and indirectly, depends entirely on it. Climate is life-sustaining as well as life-threatening. Man may interfere with climates for some time and to some reasonable extent, but he cannot afford to do it at the risk of impeding the dependence of his life on it. Mankind is on the verge of doing just that. The time has come to look critically at the prospects of man’s activities for safety and health in relation to the balance established between himself and climate at this point in the process of evolution.