Impact of Climate Change on Global Health: A CDC Perspective

This report examines the critical intersection of climate change and global health, with a specific focus on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It highlights the detrimental effects of climate change, including air pollution, extreme weather events, and their impact on respiratory and cardiovascular health, mental well-being, and mortality rates. The report details the CDC's efforts, such as the Climate and Health Program and the Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative, to identify vulnerable populations, develop adaptation strategies, and mitigate health risks. It also discusses the social determinants of health exacerbated by climate change, such as poverty and technological developments. Furthermore, the report analyzes the CDC's partnerships with organizations like the WHO, and the importance of health equity. It also identifies gaps in current management practices and policies, suggesting improvements in renewable energy, air and water quality, and waste management. The report emphasizes the need for strict environmental regulations, community involvement, and adaptation strategies at both federal and state levels to protect the environment and public health. The paper concludes with recommendations for environmental law reform, increased individual participation, and financial incentives to promote environmental protection.

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Global health
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The following paper deals with a health indicator, that is climate and geography and the
geographic region that is being chosen is Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. It alos
demonstrates the issues concerned in relation to the drastic climatic and geographical changes in
the US.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency that
manages and supports and manages the preparation, preparedness and promotional activities in
the United States in order to improve the health of the general public. It was established in the
year 1946 in Atlanta and is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. This
department works in the local, state and national level in partnership with various agencies in
order to monitor and prevent the outbreaks of disease (Epstein, 2016).It follows various
strategies in the prevention of disease and maintains statistics of health at the national level. The
agency also performs various functions in order to prevent and control several infectious and
chronic diseases, injuries, hazardous effects in the workplace, disability problems and threats
related to environmental health .
An environmental issue that has been identified by the group is the drastic change
in the climate and geographical conditions which leads to a negative impact upon the
health of the population residing in the US. Change in the climate has become a global issue
which leads to air pollution, floods, droughts, rise in the sea level, extreme changes in the
weather and heat waves (D’Amato et al., 2013). It has lead to several negative impacts upon
the health of the population such as respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues, mental
imbalances and premature deaths of individuals. Climate change can increase the amount of
ozone and particulate matter in the atmosphere at ground-level (Fann et al., 2014). It can also

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lead to an increase in the growth of indoor fungi and mold which can lead to several diseases in
human beings.Climate and Health Program is playing a significant role in helping the state and
the city health departments in order to prepare themselves from negative health impacts of
climate change. Their main objective is the identification of population that are vulnerable to
change in the climate. They work in order to prevent and adapt themselves to the present impact
on the health of individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.,2015).They make sure
that they develop and follow proper systems in order to respond to the threats on the individuals.
There are various driving forces or social determinants of health due to extreme
changes in the climate such as poverty and lack of nutrition. This is because change in the
climate affects the agriculture due to increase in rainfall events and a rise in temperature. This
results in the loss of cultivated crops and financial issues among the individuals.Development in
the field of technology is also a major driving force that results in extreme weather events.
There are several evidence based approaches to environmental risk assessment and
management of climate change such as various strategies for the adaptation and mitigation
should be taken in order to reduce the harmful effects of change in the climate. Mitigation can be
done by reducing the flow of green house gases which are present in the atmosphere (Aldy &
Pizer, 2015).Thus can be done by reducing the source of the gases such as the burning of fossil
fuels or improving the number of sinks that can store these gases like forests, oceans and soil.
Adaptation involves adjusting to the climatic conditions by the living organisms such as animals
and human beings when there is a lack of food or extreme weather events (Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, 2015).

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The environmental health issue is currently been manage by following a number of
strategies.The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has a partnership association with
several organizations at the international level such as the World Health Organization(WHO)
and global divisions include: Division of Global HIV & TB (DGHT), Division of Parasitic
Diseases and Malaria (DPDM), Division of Global Health Protection (DGHP), and Global
Immunization Division (GID).Presently, The Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative formed
by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is helping to anticipate health issues by the
application of climatic science, prediction of the impacts of health and by preparing several
programs and measures to deal with extreme climatic conditions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assists several states and cities in the
development and usage of several models which help in the prediction of impacts related to
health. It also assists in monitoring health effects, and in the identification of regions that are
vulnerable to climate change. The CDC is working in collaboration with the World Health
Organization in order to establish the International Health Regulations (IHR),that is applicable to
194 countries which are members. It is functional through the Global Disease Detection
Program (GDD) and the WHO and CDC Global Surveillance Systems.
Health equity plays a significant role in primary health care because all the individuals
have equal right to assess appropriate medical facilities without any discrimination such as caste,
creed and financial status. It plays a significant role in promoting their health and improve their
well being.Individuals should be provided proper counseling, guidance and information about
the prevention and treatment facilities to prevent HIV from infecting them. It is the basic
individual right of every human being to receive proper healthcare facilities irrespective of caste,
creed religion and social status.

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There are several gaps in the current management actions and practices related to
environmental issue such as there should be an improvement in the use of renewable enrgy
sources such as biofuesls, biomass, geothermal energy resources, and hydrogen that derived from
renewable resources of energy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should
take several steps to reduce the emission of gases from fossil fuels. The organisation should work
effeciently in improving the quality of air and water to prevent the infection from air- borne and
water- borne diseases.There is also a need to preserve natural habitat for the sustainance of
human being and maintenance and restoration of wetlands.An extreme change in the climatic
conditions leads to floods and droughts as well.Hence, there should be proper management of
hazardous and non-hazardous wastes accumulated due to flooding and drought.There should be
timely response to deal with emergency situation to deal with the destruction of life and property
(Levy & Patz,2015).
There are several gaps in the current policies, regulations management related to
environmental issue There are several approaches that can be taken into consideration to
environmental risk assessment and management of changes in the climate and geographical
conditions. These approches can be used in providing accurate decisions for example in the
planning of use of land or hazardous installations. They can be used in order to prioritize several
environmental risks, for example in determining that which chemicals should be regulated first.
They can also be used in comparing several risks, for example to allow different comparisons
that are to be made between the resources that are provided in controlling different types of
risk and also to allow the decisions of risk substitution to be made.These strategies can also be
used in identifying the maximum level of risk that can be accepted which should not cross its
limit even if it beneficial to the economy or the general individuals residing in the US.

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There is a requirement of proper infrastructure, legislative and regulatory measures
at the federal and state level agencies.The current policy, regulation and management lacks
appropriate strategies and measures that should be taken to deal with a drastic change in climatic
conditions. (Patz et.al.,2014).There are some communites who are directly dependent on using
natural sources such as water from air and seas and if there are extreme weather events,it will
lead to over exploitation and these resources would het exhausted.Poverty will result in the lack
of financial investment on the environment (Woodward et al.,2104).At the federal level, a
nation-wide strategy can be formed to adapt to climate change by the agencies and the state level
agencies should play an important role in the identification of vulnerable situations to the impact
of climate change and the measures that should be taken for adaptation.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can play an important role in the risk
assessment and management of this issue. They can be used in designing several regulatory
methods such as in the determinaton of levels of risk according to the environmental
standards.There should be proper regulatory methods and policies for the for the people living in
poverty as a change in climate is directly linked with the socioeconomic status.
The existing heath and other agencies, key stake holders and community groups can play a
significant role in adapting tom climate change. These agencies are developing several
programs, policies and important measures to deal with climate change and acting as a leadership
role in its adaptation and mitigation.
Hence, it can be concluded that there should be strict laws and regulations in order to
protect the national environment and rehabilitate degraded area which would play a significant
role in preventing the degradation of the environment. The Environmental Law should be

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amended so that it becomes easier to understand for the general public. Several measures should
be developed and followed in order to increase the participation of individuls, communities
agencies and organizations in environmental protection.A reward scheme can also be
implemented to promote business, organizations and local people to protect the environment
and address the level of pollution in there area They should be imposed with heavy fines who
violate the environmental laws and regualtaions and do not understandi the harmful impact of
polluting the environment.

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