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The ocean is linked to our health in many ways, from producing oxygen to generating livelihoods to moderating temperature and rainfall. Many climate change impacts on human health are directly or indirectly related to changes in the ocean (e.g., temperature, rainfall, plankton populations, sea level rise, and ocean circulation).
As the atmosphere warms as a result of greenhouse gasses, much of this heat is absorbed by the ocean. This results in energy storage that drives stronger storms, shifting weather patterns, and alters ecosystems both in and out of the water. Climate change and corresponding changes in the atmosphere have been linked with gradual and extreme weather events, rising sea levels and higher acidity and deoxygenation of the global ocean.
Climate-driven extreme weather events and related disasters increase the risks of drowning, injury and long-term mental health effects, as well as forced migration. Seawater intrusion into groundwater in coastal aquifers, potentially exacerbated by extreme weather events, can contaminate freshwater resources and pose health risks. Climate change will exacerbate the health impacts of extreme events and pollution by pathogens and toxic wastes, particularly in coastal areas and in the marine food chain.
Warmer seas can also affect fisheries and reduce the availability of protein and nutrients to dependent populations, influence the distribution of diseases such as cholera, increase the occurrence of harmful algal blooms which can cause poisoning, reduce the availability of important resources that are used in biomedicine, and cause undue mental stress on those that depend on marine resources for their livelihoods.
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The frequency of cholera outbreaks induced by Vibrio cholerae and other enteric pathogens are correlated with sea surface temperatures, multi-decadal fluctuations of El Niño–Southern Oscillation, and plankton blooms, which provides insight into how this disease may change with projected rates of ocean warming.
The incidence of diseases such as ciguatera also shows links to El Niño, with ciguatera becoming more prominent after periods of elevated sea temperature. This indicates that ciguatera may become more frequent in a warmer climate, particularly given the higher prevalence of ciguatera in areas with degraded coral reefs.
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Research
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Research
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