2023-10-06 10:03:31
He climate change has an enormous impact not only on the Enviromental health but also in health of people and animalsgenerating threats such as emerging diseases, habitat loss and extreme weather conditions that put the well-being of cities at risk.
Faced with this problem, the planning and design of cities must be rethought in order to address the challenges related to climate change, reduce its harmful effects and make way for a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow, according to the study. , “The impact of climate change: an approach from the urban context with a One Health approach”, in which the European University has participated.
This research analyzes some of the situations that are generating phenomena derived from climate change, which not only have a direct impact on health, but sometimes involve greater economic pressure related to increased medical expenses or economic losses due to extreme weather events.
“Policies must involve plans, strategies and interventions at the local level, therefore delving into the peculiarities of each place, as well as its geo-climatic conditions, and the needs of its inhabitants, with special attention to the most vulnerable.” emphasizes María Teresa Cuerdo Vilches, researcher at the European University and one of the authors of the study. The researcher invites us to rely on interdisciplinarity when addressing these policies and actions, which allow us to have a broader vision of the complex reality of our urban environment, in the face of the great challenges derived from Climate Change, in favor of more livable cities. , healthy, sustainable, and inclusive.
Concentration of risks and areas for improvement
Problems like heat waves increasingly severe diseases significantly affect the most vulnerable groups, causing an exacerbation of cardiovascular, respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as alterations in sleep patterns and mental health problems. Extreme weather conditions also pose a threat to food security since the reduction in the yield of crops intended for human and animal consumption can lead to an increase in cases of food-borne diseases due to the conditions suffered during their production and distribution.
We also found problems such as increased floodingwhich lead to the contamination of fresh water sources and represent a increased risk of diseases transmitted by water or the potential food shortage which can contribute to the increase in diseases such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular pathologies, among others, or the loss of biodiversity and deterioration of the protection function of natural habitats that causes limitations in food, medicines and the provision of other essential services. to health.
However, we must not look at cities only as the origin of many of these problems and risk concentration scenarios, but also as improvement areas about. “Without forgetting, of course, the potential offered by addressing issues related to sustainability and health in parallel, from a “One Health” approach.indicates María Teresa Cuerdo Vilches, researcher at the European University and one of the authors of the study.
Press contact: Carlos Pablos 666 81 83 24
#Health #approach #key #healthier #sustainable #cities #face #climate #change #Environmental #News