How does vulnerability to the negative effects decrease or increase depending on for example health infrastructure, geography, income level, education and quality of housing? These are amongst the questions that will be studied in the project.
During periods of extreme heat and decreasing rain fall, the risk of wildland fires increases, which can cause intense air pollution, markedly in the form of particulate matter. Especially in Southern Europe, one fears an increased risk of wildfires. High levels of ozone have been observed during recent heat waves events, and it is estimated that climate change may increase summer ozone levels, which also constitutes a major health risk. Air pollution is today the environmental challenge associated with the highest mortality in Europe.
Reducing the rate of increasing cases of heart and lung diseases, or even avoiding them altogether with preventative measures, will substantially impact society by saving healthcare costs and improve quality-of-life through reduce suffering for many people.
The EXHAUSTION-project aims at identifying adaptation strategies that will help avoid premature death and disease among vulnerable groups. This includes older people, infants, the chronically ill, and disadvantaged people.
This great group of people are going to work with the @ExhaustionH2020 project the next years to reduce negative health impacts of #airpollution, #heatwaves and #wildfires due to #climatechange in Europe.
What will we do?
The link between exposure and impact on health
Some groups of the European population are more prone to the effects of climate change on health than others, e.g. people with pre-existing chronic diseases, with low socio-economic status or the elderly.
We will investigate the impact on health (from hospitalization to mortality) resulting from air pollution and heat stress in new areas. We will focus on rural areas in contrast to already widely explored urban areas and we will do research on a more detailed scale than done before.
This can help in implementing both preventive measures and in improving adaptation measures, e.g. heat warning systems, to better protect the European population from climate change.
“High levels of ozone have been observed during recent heat waves events, and it is estimated that climate change may increase summer ozone levels, which also constitutes a major health risk.”
Projections of climate and air pollution
Heatwaves, cold spells and air quality have a major impact on heart and lung related diseases in Europe. Abatement measures to reduce air pollution (originating from e.g. traffic, industry and wildfires) are important and can have a substantial positive effect on health. WP3 will develop models showing the evolution of climate and air quality in the future and will provide information for health assessments.
Health impact projections under climate change and adaptation scenarios
A changing climate means that negative exposure to heat waves and wildfires will increase, also in Europe. Adaptation can make people less vulnerable and communities more resilient to those changes. Examples of measures that can affect the exposure is urban planning – What is planned for cities so that people are less exposed. WP4 will give a cost and a weight to different potential future scenarios.
Projected socio-economic impacts and benefits of adaptation and mitigation
Labour and economic growth are likely to be affected by an increase in heart and lung-diseases due to the combination of air pollution and heat. The pressure on health care systems can either be reduced or increased depending on which adaptation measures is implemented. WP5 will estimate the costs of the increased vulnerability to heart and lung diseases, and what the variations in costs are dependent on.
