Climate Change and Human Health: Causes and Solutions

Abstract

People who suffer from asthma can have difficulty breathing after they are exposed to normally harmless substances in the air, such as pollen, dust, smoke, and pet dander. Some people experience a worsening of their asthma symptoms after a thunderstorm, and data tell us that climate change is making asthma more of a problem. But how do weather and climate events make it hard for some people to breathe? Asthma happens when the body’s immune system mistakes airborne particles for dangerous invaders and tries to fight them. It seems that climate change is increasing the amounts of air pollution, pollen, and mold in the air. The more of these triggers people breathe in, the greater the risk of asthma. In this article, we will explain how asthma happens, how climate change is making it worse, and what we can all do to help.