Climate change can affect health and wellbeing in many ways. For example, exposure to higher temperatures can cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion. More frequent floods and bushfires may cause more injury and death.
However, climate change may also affect health and wellbeing in less direct ways.
Extreme heat and long periods of hot weather (heatwaves) affect our health. During hot weather the risk of dehydration and overheating increases. In the most severe cases this may lead to life-threatening illness such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Hotter nights can disturb sleep and make it harder to recover from the heat of previous hot days.
More information is available at Heat is a health risk - beat the heat.
The number and severity of bushfires, floods and storms are increasing due to climate change. There are direct risks of injury and death from fire, falling and windblown debris and drowning. The risk of injury from unstable and slippery surfaces, damaged buildings, sharp objects and chemical spills may remain after the event.
More information is available at Natural disasters and emergency incidents.
Climate change is likely to increase the number of air pollution events. Bushfire smoke, major dust storms during drought, and a build-up of ground-level ozone on hot days can all worsen lung and heart conditions. Breathing in large amounts of smoke and dust can lead to an asthma attack, a heart attack or stroke.
More information is available at Air quality.
Catastrophic events such as bushfires, storms, floods and droughts can disrupt communities and cause emotional and mental trauma for individuals.
The death of friends and family, injury, displacement from home and the loss of community can cause anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Droughts can be particularly impactful on farming communities where the loss of livelihood and uncertainty about the future can impact mental health. Feelings of loss and grief can follow seeing the destruction of local environments and habitat. Aboriginal people, who have a close connection to place and country, may be greatly impacted by these events.
Information on where to find help and support is available at Mental health impacts.
Some pathogens such as bacteria and viruses can multiply during warmer weather. This can increase the risk of food spoilage and food-borne diseases. More frequent heatwaves, storms and floods may also disrupt power supplies and transport which can affect refrigeration and the distribution of food.
Severe storms and rainfall can lead to erosion and flooding. This can increase suspended soil particles in drinking water catchments and make it more challenging to remove pathogens in drinking water. Rain following bushfires can also make water treatment difficult.
Warmer conditions can also promote blooms of toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that can cause skin irritation, mild respiratory effects and gastrointestinal infection for recreational water users.
More information is available at Recreational water quality and Staying safe and healthy during extended power outages.
Some mosquitoes can transmit viruses to humans that cause illness. Mosquitoes require water to breed and are more active in warmer weather. Climate change may increase the number of locations where specific mosquito-borne viruses are found. This may not only increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases already present in NSW but also allow the introduction of mosquito-borne diseases into NSW.
More information on mosquito-borne diseases and how to avoid mosquito bites is available at Vector-borne diseases.
Extreme weather events can affect agricultural production and food supply chains. This can limit the supply of healthy fresh fruit and vegetables and make these foods less affordable.
Eating less nutritious foods can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Information about making healthy food choices is available at Healthy Eating Active Living website.
Warmer temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may increase pollen levels. This can impact people with pollen allergies who experience hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis) during certain times of the year.
Increases in heavy rainfall and floods may increase the growth of mould in damp, indoor areas. People with asthma, allergies or other sensitivities may be impacted by exposure to mould.
More information is available in our Mould fact sheet.
Adapting now and preparing for climate change can help to protect health. There are actions you can take to adapt and protect yourself from the health impacts of climate change.
Climate change and protecting your health
Everyone is likely to be impacted by climate change in some way, but some people will be more at risk. Climate change can affect the health of people in different ways depending on where they live, the work they do, their age, existing health conditions and social and economic situation.
Who is most at risk?
There are many things we can do to help prepare ourselves and our families, friends and neighbours for emergencies. The better prepared we are, the more able we are to manage the personal aspects of a disaster and the faster we will be able to recover.
Plan and prepare for an emergency
