Discuss about the International Health for Regular uses of Fossil Fuels in Nations.
It is evident that Rapid economic development is linked to the depletion of numerous natural resources. Day to day activities of humans is heavily dependent on the use of fossil fuels, environmental degradation, depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation and climate change (Rees 2017). Technological development has occurred in the recent years which has led to the depletion of the majority of the natural resources. All of these human activities negatively impact on both human health and long-term human survival (Barnett & Morse 2013).
Fossil fuels are the most popular resources found on the earth. Many people consider fossil fuels as a dependable source of energy and are in high demand to fulfill the energy needs all over the world. Countries heavily rely on the use of fossil fuels such that it has become a necessary part of everyone’s daily life. Nations obtain an estimated 81% of their total energy from coal, natural gases, and oil. They depend on the fossil fuels in manufacturing and power industries, electricity and running vehicles and heating homes (Abas, Kalair & Khan 2015, pp.31-49).
Road transport, air transport, rail transport and water transport all rely on fossil fuels. They are used to power the engines of many vehicles across the world. Diesel that is obtained from crude petroleum is commonly used in trains and trucks while gasoline that is derived from the refining of crude oils is used as fuels in vehicles. Ships and airplanes also use transportation fuels that are petroleum based. Fossil fuels are also used in the production of electricity. Coal is the primary source of fuel in the majority of thermal power plants worldwide. A small number of the power plants use natural gases and oils as fuels. The fossil fuel power plants mainly convert water into steam using the heat generated from the combustion of the fossil fuels. The water vapor is then used to turn the turbines which then lead to the functioning of the electrical generators (Höök & Tang 2013, pp.797-809).
The environment influences health in many ways. Many studies that have been done on the interaction between the environment and human health have demonstrated that environmental risks have a significant effect on human health through either exposure to dangerous agents or indirectly through the interference of the ecosystems. Humans engage in numerous activities for economic expansion which result in environmental degradation. Environmental degradation refers to the destruction of the environment through the exhaustion of resources that include water, air, and soil, pollution, the destruction of ecosystems and habitats and the eradication of various species of wildlife.
Human population keeps increasing every day and as a result more land destruction increases (Saikia 2016). Humans can also collect resources from their surroundings, processing them into new and versatile forms. As a result, man-induced pollutants have increased in the environment and hence interfering with the natural equilibrium (Myers et al. 2013, pp.18753-18760). Human activities result in climate change by increasing the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The incoming and outgoing infrared radiations, which constitute the Earths energy stability are affected by the gases. This results in the alteration of the atmospheric characteristics of these gases and hence contributing to cooling or warming of the climate (McMichael 2013, pp.1335-1343).
Although climate change may result in some localized advantages which include high food production and reduced winter deaths in some areas, the general effects are adverse. Climate change has a negative influence on the environmental and social determinants of health. Research indicates that the mortality rates resulting from climate change are likely to rise in the future, from diseases such as diarrhea, malaria and heat stress. These have a direct impact on increased health costs.
Climate change results in an excessive increase in temperature. Extreme heat is not determined through absolute temperatures. Instead, it is defined by the respective transitions from the previous local conditions. According to the Centre for Disease Control, extreme heat is defined as the summertime temperatures that are incredibly high or humid than the usual temperatures for the locality at the same time of the year. The extremely high temperatures lead to increased deaths especially for the elderly suffering from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Studies indicate that the number of deaths may increase unless proper strategies are put in place. It also leads to increased deaths and morbidity through the intensification of chronic diseases, heat strokes, and heat exhaustion. Excessive heat has the potential of exacerbating present renal diseases and is highly linked to the manifestation of chronic renal disease in people who are not exposed to other risk factors (Smith 2013).
Climate change results in increased exposure to high temperatures through the increase in intensity, frequency, and duration. High extreme heat results to rise in the level of pollen and other aeroallergens which increase the human exposure to severe allergic diseases in humans such as asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Climate change results to the movement of plants to new places and the alteration of atmospheric circulation can result to the carrying away of pollen to newer areas and as a result, introducing individuals to allergens they had not been introduced to initially (Schmeltz 2001–2010).
Climate change also leads to increase in the natural disasters and to change patterns of rainfalls. The number of natural disasters has incredibly risen in the risen years with an estimated 60,000 deaths of individuals mainly living in the developing countries. Extreme weather events force individuals to leave their homes which increases their susceptibility to communicable diseases and mental disorders including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Change in weather also results to increase in alcohol consumption among people to deal with stress. It also leads to high rates of suicide. Hospital admissions of people with mental health problems also increase as well as the number of people of aggressive people and domestic cases.
Although all people can be affected by climate change, people living in small islands and Polar Regions, children from developing countries, people from countries with weak healthcare infrastructure are more vulnerable and have a high probability of experiencing severe health consequences. Climate change may result in both droughts and floods which result in waterborne and water-related diseases. Extreme events such as floods increase the contamination of water supplies and the emergence of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever by creating a favorable condition for breeding to take place. Flooding also causes physical injuries, drowning, interruption of the supply of healthcare services and damage to houses. According to World Health Organization, sanitation is one of the issues that are often undermined in the event of natural disasters. Water-related diseases such as diarrhea can be preventable. Unfortunately, they are the leading causes of deaths among children in disaster-prone areas. They often occur as a result of contact with or ingestion of contaminated water. Several cholera outbreaks also happen during floods (Trenberth 2014, p.17).
Climate change has a direct influence on food insecurity, hunger, and poor nutrition. This leads to both malnutrition and under nutrition leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. Ending malnutrition is one of the best health investments since a lot of resources are used in the treatment than prevention of the disease. According to the World Health Organization, children suffer most from the cases of malnutrition and under nutrition. Climate change impacts under nutrition in many ways including lack of adequate nutritious foods, access to health care services and environmental health and lack of proper feeding practices and care (Beelen et al. 2014, pp.785-795).
The Agricultural sector is one of the important in each country’s economy. Food production is heavily dependent on the climate. Increase in carbon dioxide and temperature may increase crop yields in some areas. Changes in droughts and floods is a great challenge for farmers by making it difficult to grow crops, fishing and rearing animals. Drought also leads to lack of animal feed supplies and pastures. Heat stress results in low production of animal products such as milk. It also results in reduced fertility and increased susceptibility to diseases (Beelen et al. 2014, pp.785-795).
Studies indicate that air pollution has increased in the majority of the industrialized countries. Combustion of fossil fuels leads to the air pollution by the production of gases such as sulfur and nitrogen which affect both the environmental and public health. Most hospital admissions and deaths are as a result of pneumonia, asthma, cardiovascular illnesses and respiratory illnesses as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels. Heart diseases are mostly as a result of the particulates that result from the use of fossil fuels. Studies indicate that exposure of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide increases the risk in older adults admitted with pneumonia. The burning of fossil fuels also leads to bronchitis which has the potential of triggering the airway inflammation and hence leading to fever, coughing, and fatigue. Combustion of fossil fuels also leads to acid rain. Research indicates that it is hazardous to come into contact with acid rain. This is because it reduces the visibility in humans and it also has a massive effect on the respiratory system of humans (Lave & Seskin 2013).
Air pollution also leads to decreased immune functions in humans. This results in increased susceptibility to various diseases among the people. According to the World Health Organization, outdoor air pollution rises an individual risk of lung and renal cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of deaths compared to the others (Anon 2018). The toxic particles from air pollution are responsible for this cancers. Individuals living close to busy roads are very exposed to the nitrogen oxide from the exhaust of cars that use diesel (Chen et al. 2013, pp.35-43.a).
Air pollution also results in organ damage such as the liver, kidney, and brain. Many industrial processes lead to the production of heavy metals which can cause both the nervous system and brain impairment (Hoek et al. 2013, p.43). All these illnesses also result in lost working days which negatively influences access to proper nutrition and health care services. Lost working days means that the individuals are not well paid which leads to lower socio-economic status and poverty. This makes it difficult for the individuals to buy good nutritious food. Instead, they go for less dense and less nutritious foods. As a result, they are exposed to nutrition-related illnesses. Lack of income also leads to reduced access to healthcare services which leads to high mortality rates.
The Earth consists of many species of animals with humans as the dominant species. The inventiveness of human beings has resulted in changes in the majority of the parts of this planet. As the population continues to increase, effects such as global warming continue to accelerate to higher levels. Increase in human activities will lead to further growth in climate change in the future. Trees and other vegetation cover use carbon dioxide and produce carbon dioxide (Masters 2013).
Lack of the trees and vegetation cover makes it difficult to control the amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere and hence leading to global warming. In the future, the number of deaths as a result of pollution is set to rise. The number of illnesses such as pneumonia and cancer will also increase (Loomis et al. 2013, pp.1262-1263). People risk lacking enough food in the future as a result facing severe malnutrition and undernutrition. This is because it will be very difficult to plant foods and rear animals. Individuals also risk lacking water for drinking (Beelen et al. 2014, pp.785-795).
Several measures need to be taken to reduce air pollution and environmental degradation. The reduction of the emission of the greenhouse gases through the use of better alternatives to energy, transport, and food can lead to improved health especially. The introduction of cleaner energy systems is also essential. Individuals should be encouraged to find alternatives to private means of transport such as cycling and walking (Masters 2013).
Education on the effects of environmental degradation can also help solve the problem through encouraging behavior change. Environmental education encompasses creating awareness on the consequences of human activities on health and long-term survival. Secondly, it includes ensuring that people change their attitude towards environmental challenges. Thirdly, it includes equipping people with useful skills to find a solution to the environmental problems. Fourthly it involves encouraging community involvement and participation. Finally, it consists of the acknowledgment of the fact that it is everyone’s responsibility to help in solving the problems (McMichael 2013, pp.6096-6105).
Environmental education should also be mandatory in all institutions (Salleh, Zuki, Ismail & Abdullah 2016). Information on the benefits of the conservation of the environment should be relayed to the media. Tax should be applied to factories and industries releasing waste. The department of the environment should undertake publications on health safety and establish standards for individual pollutants. It should also be empowered with coming up with laws that may improve the environment. They should also be given authority over air, soil and water environment and should also ensure strict surveillance over the industrial areas. They should also undertake constant monitoring of both air and water standards. Huge penalties should be applied to individuals who do not adhere to the set standards of water, air noise and other methods of pollution.
International action is required to solve problems caused by highly toxic pollutants such as mercury and lead that are released into the air and transferred to seas and rivers and carried beyond the countries of origin. The success of the measures to better the environment relies on the readiness of both the local authorities and industries to accept change and decrease the discharge of toxic wastes into the seas and the modernization and development of appropriate sewage disposal structures. Maximum support for the enactment of suitable public health responses to climate change is also crucial. This will help countries acquire the potential to prevent climate change and embrace measures that reduce carbon emissions.
Implementation of policies that forbid deforestation is also necessary. Deforestation should be considered as a punishable crime to prevent its occurrence. People should be encouraged to plant more trees and increase vegetation cover. People should also conserve electricity by turning off electrical appliances while not in use. People should also harvest rainwater whenever possible for cleaning and watering plants. People should preserve trees by going paperless and engage in the recycling of products. The use of farming chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers should also be reduced (Pirlone & Candia 2016, pp.209-225).
In conclusion, the activities we human beings engage in for economic expansion has a severe effect on both our health and future. The activities we take part in today will heavily cost our future. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure maximum behavior change as soon as possible to prevent further destruction. More attention should also be put in engaging in actions that positively impact on our environment is crucial in ensuring that we take care of our natural resources.
References
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Anon, 2018. Air pollution. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/airpollution/en/ [Accessed May 27, 2018].
Barnett, H.J., and Morse, C., 2013. Scarcity and growth: The economics of natural resource availability (Vol. 3). Routledge.
Beelen, R., Raaschou-Nielsen, O., Stafoggia, M., Andersen, Z.J., Weinmayr, G., Hoffmann, B., Wolf, K., Samoli, E., Fischer, P., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. and Vineis, P., 2014. Effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on natural-cause mortality: an analysis of 22 European cohorts within the multicentre ESCAPE project. The Lancet, 383(9919), pp.785-795.
Chen, H., Goldberg, M.S., Burnett, R.T., Jerrett, M., Wheeler, A.J. and Villeneuve, P.J., 2013. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and cardiovascular mortality. Epidemiology, 24(1), pp.35-43.a
Hoek, G., Krishnan, R.M., Beelen, R., Peters, A., Ostro, B., Brunekreef, B. and Kaufman, J.D., 2013. Long-term air pollution exposure and cardio-respiratory mortality: a review. Environmental Health, 12(1), p.43.
Höök, M. and Tang, X., 2013. Depletion of fossil fuels and anthropogenic climate change—A review. Energy Policy, 52, pp.797-809.
Lave, L.B. and Seskin, E.P., 2013. Air pollution and human health (Vol. 6). Routledge.
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Masters, G.M., 2013. Renewable and efficient electric power systems. John Wiley & Sons.
McMichael, A.J., 2013. Globalization, climate change, and human health. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(14), pp.1335-1343.
McMichael, A.J., 2013. Impediments to comprehensive research on climate change and health. International journal of environmental research and public health, 10(11), pp.6096-6105.
Myers, S.S., Gaffikin, L., Golden, C.D., Ostfeld, R.S., Redford, K.H., Ricketts, T.H., Turner, W.R. and Osofsky, S.A., 2013. Human health impacts of ecosystem alteration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(47), pp.18753-18760.
Pirlone, F. and Candia, S., 2016. MSW: From pollution/degradation source to the resource. Tema. Journal of Land Use, Mobility, and Environment, 9(2), pp.209-225.
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Saikia, R., 2016. Environmental degradation-Causes and consequences.
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Trenberth, K.E., Dai, A., Van Der Schrier, G., Jones, P.D., Barichivich, J., Briffa, K.R. and Sheffield, J., 2014. Global warming and changes in drought. Nature Climate Change, 4(1), p.17.
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