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Zero regrets: scaling up action on climate change mitigation and adaptation for health in the WHO European Region, second edition. Key messages from the Working Group on Health in Climate Change

Human Climate Horizons (HCH)

Symposium report: Emerging threats for human health – impact of socioeconomic and climate change on zooanthroponosis in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia

Population growth, socio-cultural and economic changes as well as technological progress have an immediate impact on the environment and human health in particular. Our steadily rising needs of resources increase the pressure on the environment and narrow down untainted habitats for plants and wild animals. Balance and resilience of ecosystems are further threatened by climate change, as temperature and seasonal shifts increase the pressure for all species to find successful survival strategies. Arctic and subarctic regions are especially vulnerable to climate change, as thawing of permafrost significantly transforms soil structures, vegetation and habitats. With rising temperature, the risk of zoonotic diseases in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has also increased. As vegetation periods prolong and habitats broaden, zoonotic pathogens and their vectors find more favourable living conditions. Moreover, permafrost degradation may expose historic burial grounds and allow for reviving the vectors of deadly infections from the past. To assess the current state of knowledge and emerging risks in the light of the “One Health” concept, a German-Russian Symposium took place on 13 August 2018 in Yakutsk, Russian Federation. This symposium report presents the main findings generated from presentations and discussions.

Healthy ecosystems are a prerequisite for human health – A call for action in the era of climate change with a focus on Russia

Throughout history, humans have experienced epidemics. The balance of living in nature encircled by microorganisms is delicate. More than 70% of today’s emerging infections are zoonotic, i.e., those in which microorganisms transmitted from animals infect humans. Species are on the move at speeds never previously recorded, among ongoing climate change which is especially rapid at high latitudes. This calls for intensified international surveillance of Northern infectious diseases. Russia holds the largest area of thawing permafrost among Northern nations, a process which threatens to rapidly disrupt the balance of nature. In this paper, we provide details regarding Russian health infrastructure in order to take the first steps toward a collaborative international survey of Northern infections and international harmonization of the procured data.

Patterns of extreme temperature-related catastrophic events in Europe including the Russian Federation: A cross-sectional analysis of the Emergency Events Database

OBJECTIVE: To investigate reported extreme temperature-related catastrophic events and associated mortality on the European continent including the Russian Federation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional respecting Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria. SETTINGS: Data source: Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). PARTICIPANTS: Search criteria: location-European continent including Russian Federation, time-years 1988 until 2019 (close of database 12 July 2019), catastrophic events-extreme temperatures. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Numbers of heat waves, cold waves, severe winter conditions and associated number of deaths, overall, and per country and year, respecting STROBE criteria. RESULTS: The most frequent type of the 243 events recorded in EM-DAT were cold waves (54.7%). However, cold waves and severe winter conditions only accounted for 6460 deaths (4.5%), while heat waves were associated with 137?533 deaths (95.5%). The five most severe heat waves in 2003, 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2015 were associated with a total of 135?089 deaths. The most severe heat waves were geographically distributed over the Russian Federation (2010), as well as France, Italy, Spain and Germany, each in 2003. CONCLUSION: Although cold waves are more frequently reported in EM-DAT, heat waves are the major cause for temperature-related deaths. In order to better protect the public, it is important to address resiliency and vulnerability of populations at risk and age groups.

Climatic factors influencing the anthrax outbreak of 2016 in Siberia, Russia

In 2016, an outbreak of anthrax killing thousands of reindeer and affecting dozens of humans occurred on the Yamal peninsula, Northwest Siberia, after 70 years of epidemiological situation without outbreaks. The trigger of the outbreak has been ascribed to the activation of spores due to permafrost thaw that was accelerated during the summer heat wave. The focus of our study is on the dynamics of local environmental factors in connection with the observed anthrax revival. We show that permafrost was thawing rapidly for already 6 years before the outbreak. During 2011-2016, relatively warm years were followed by cold years with a thick snow cover, preventing freezing of the soil. Furthermore, the spread of anthrax was likely intensified by an extremely dry summer of 2016. Concurrent with the long-term decreasing trend in the regional annual precipitation, the rainfall in July 2016 was less than 10% of its 30-year mean value. We conclude that epidemiological situation of anthrax in the previously contaminated Arctic regions requires monitoring of climatic factors such as warming and precipitation extremes.

Study of the relationship between the average annual temperature of atmospheric air and the number of tick-bitten humans in the north of European Russia

In recent decades, a considerable increase in the number of tick-bitten humans has been recorded in the north of European Russia. At the same time, significant climatic changes, such as an increase in air temperature, were noticed in this region. The northern border of the ixodidae distribution area lies in the north of European Russia, therefore the analysis of the population dynamics is of particular interest regarding the possible impact of the climate changes. Unfortunately, in such a large territory field, studies on tick abundance are very difficult. In our study, the official statistics for the number of tick-bitten humans were used. This kind of statistical analysis has been conducted in the Russian Federation for many years, and can be used for the estimation of climate change impact on tick abundance. Statistical data on tick-bitten humans have been collected in three large regions for several decades. For the same regions, the average annual air temperature was calculated and modeled. An S-shaped distribution of the number of victims depending on the average annual air temperature was established, which can be described as “Verhulst’s law”, or logistic function. However, the development of the population does not depend on time, but on the temperature of the ambient air.

Re-introduction of vivax malaria in a temperate area (Moscow region, Russia): A geographic investigation

BACKGROUND: Between 1999 and 2008 Russia experienced a flare-up of transmission of vivax malaria following its massive importation with more than 500 autochthonous cases in European Russia, the Moscow region being the most affected. The outbreak waned soon after a decrease in importation in mid-2000s and strengthening the control measures. Compared with other post-eradication epidemics in Europe this one was unprecedented by its extension and duration. METHODS: The aim of this study is to identify geographical determinants of transmission. The degree of favourability of climate for vivax malaria was assessed by measuring the sum of effective temperatures and duration of season of effective infectivity using data from 22 weather stations. For geospatial analysis, the locations of each of 405 autochthonous cases detected in Moscow region have been ascertained. A MaxEnt method was used for modelling the territorial differentiation of Moscow region according to the suitability of infection re-emergence based on the statistically valid relationships between the distribution of autochthonous cases and environmental and climatic factors. RESULTS: In 1999-2004, in the beginning of the outbreak, meteorological conditions were extremely favourable for malaria in 1999, 2001 and 2002, especially within the borders of the city of Moscow and its immediate surroundings. The greatest number of cases occurred at the northwestern periphery of the city and in the adjoining rural areas. A significant role was played by rural construction activities attracting migrant labour, vegetation density and landscape division. A cut-off altitude of 200 m was observed, though the factor of altitude did not play a significant role at lower altitudes. Most likely, the urban heat island additionally amplified malaria re-introduction. CONCLUSION: The malariogenic potential in relation to vivax malaria was high in Moscow region, albeit heterogeneous. It is in Moscow that the most favourable conditions exist for vivax malaria re-introduction in the case of a renewed importation. This recent event of large-scale re-introduction of vivax malaria in a temperate area can serve as a case study for further research.

Evaluation of outdoor thermal comfort conditions in northern Russia over 30-year period (Arkhangelsk region)

The aim of the current paper is to evaluate spatial and temporal characteristics of the distribution of bioclimatic comfort within the Arkhangelsk region (Russian Federation) with two modern indices of thermal comfort: PET and UTCI. Its average values calculated for the modern climatic period (1981-2010) in the monthly mean give a clear picture of spatial heterogeneity for the warmest month (July) and for the coldest one (January). The spatial picture of both indices in July allows us to distinguish three large internal regions: the Arkhangelsk province, the continental part of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) and Novaya Zemlya islands (NZ). Winter distribution of thermal discomfort is fundamentally different: the coldest regions (with extreme cold stress) are equally NZ and the eastern half of NAO; intermediate position is occupied by the west of the NAO and the extreme north-east of the Arkhangelsk region, the highest winter UTCI values are observed in the rest of the region. In Archangelsk-city extreme cold stress in January has repeatability 6.7%, in February 4%, in December 2.2%, respectively. The average number of time points during the year at which thermal stress is not observed is only 19%. Obtained results will be the basis for planning relevant health measures and providing reliable forecasts of the effects of climate change in the Arctic region.

Extreme temperature and extreme violence: Evidence from Russia

Climatic factors influence the spread of COVID-19 in Russia

Mortality rate due to circulatory and alcohol-dependent diseases in different climatic zones of Russia

Misfortunes never come singly: Consecutive weather shocks and mortality in Russia

Influence of blocking on Northern European and Western Russian heatwaves in large climate model ensembles

Impact of air temperature variation on the ixodid ticks habitat and tick-borne encephalitis incidence in the Russian Arctic: the case of the Komi Republic

Observations on changes in abundance of questing Ixodes ricinus, castor bean tick, over a 35-year period in the eastern part of its range (Russia, Tula region)

The incidence of West Nile disease in Russia in relation to climatic and environmental factors

Regional warming and emerging vector-borne zoonotic dirofilariosis in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet states from 1981 to 2011 and projection by 2030

Evaluation of the informativeness of several biometeorological indices for three areas of the European part of Russia

The impact of climate change on the expansion of Ixodes persulcatus habitat and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis in the north of European Russia

NASA A-Train and Terra observations of the 2010 Russian wildfires

Atmospheric impacts of the 2010 Russian wildfires: Integrating modelling and measurements of an extreme air pollution episode in the Moscow region

Atmospheric impacts of the 2010 Russian wildfires: Integrating modelling and measurements of the extreme air pollution episode in the Moscow megacity region

Long-term modification of Arctic lake ecosystems: Reference condition, degradation under toxic impacts and recovery (case study Imandra Lakes, Russia)

High resilience in the Yamal-Nenets social-ecological system, West Siberian Arctic, Russia

Temperature-induced excess mortality in Moscow, Russia

The effect of climate anomalies and human ignition factor on wildfires in Russian boreal forests

Epidemiology of West Nile infection in Volgograd, Russia, in relation to climate change and mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) bionomics

Excess mortality during heat waves and cold spells in Moscow, Russia

A new assessment of climate change impacts on food production shortfalls and water availability in Russia