Climate change

Abstract

For centuries, climate and weather have been recognized as important influences on human health (Haines, Kovats, Campbell-Lendrum, & Corvalan, 2006; McMichael, Campbell-Lendrum, Corvalan, Ebi, Githeko, Scheraga, Woodward, 2003). Climate, defined as the average weather over decades, is always changing. However, recent human activities, primarily fossil fuel combustion and deforestation have contributed to historically unprecedented concentrations of heat-trapping gases in the lower atmosphere. The elevated levels of these gases have begun to alter the global climate, with consequences that include increased surface temperatures, changes in the hydrological cycle, increased climate variability, and sea level rise (Albritton & Meira-Filho, 2001; Karl & Trenberth, 2003; Schiermeier, 2005; Ebi, Lewis, & Corvalan, 2006; Haines, McMichael, Kovats, & Saunders, 1998; Karl & Trenberth, 2003; McMichael et al., 2003; Schiermeier, 2005). © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.