Climate change is an urgent problem that affects our health in many ways, now and in the future. We are already seeing an increase in extreme weather events such as floods, severe storms and heatwaves.
View other climate change and health videos in the series.
Our health depends on the environment we live in, so it makes sense that climate change is affecting our health.
Already, we have seen an increase in extreme weather events such as floods, severe storms and heatwaves.
Not only have Australia’s average temperatures increased over the last century, but heatwaves have become longer, hotter and more frequent.
As long as climate change continues, so will this trend.
Longer, hotter summers not only increase the risk of bushfires and drought, but also threaten our health.
Extreme heat exacerbates illnesses like heart and lung diseases – putting people with chronic conditions at further risk.
Bacteria like Salmonella thrive in the warmth, increasing our risk of food poisoning and gastrointestinal illnesses.
Warmer temperatures can also lead to harmful algal blooms in water bodies, which threaten the safety of our drinking water and expose people to toxins.
And a lot more people are likely to swim on hot days, so it’s all linked.
Climate change is an urgent problem that affects our health – act today for a healthier tomorrow.
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