Climate Change

Hot, desert Gulf countries are host to millions of migrant workers doing outdoor jobs such as construction and hospitality. The Gulf countries apply a summertime ban on midday work to protect workers from extreme heat, although without clear evidence of effectiveness. We assessed the risk of occupational injuries associated with extreme hot temperatures during the summertime ban on midday work in Kuwait.

Global climate change has sparked efforts to adapt to increasing temperatures, especially in urban areas that experience increased day and nighttime temperatures due to the urban heat island effect. The addition of greenspace has been suggested as a possible means for urban centers to respond to increasing urban temperatures. Thus, it is important for urban planning and policymakers to have access to data on greenspace specific at a fine spatial resolution.

Global climate change and extreme weather events are associated with epigenetic modifications in immune cells, leading to the possible increased risk and prevalence of allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Climate change is a public health emergency.  Clinicians worldwide now face the reality of caring for patients during wildfires, heat waves, floods, and shifting infectious disease patterns. Health-care workers need better preparation to care for communities facing the health effects of climate change. Medical students have been key advocates in these efforts, driving research, community partnerships, and education

WHO’s program on climate change and health was established more than 25 years ago and, for the past 15 years, has supported countries to address the health risks from climate change.

Climate-driven coral habitat loss can cause changes in fish abundance and biomass, revealing potential winners and losers among major fisheries targets that can be predicted using ecological indicators and biological traits.