Consequences of Global Warming on Human Health

Global warming is a major concern for many people who believe that carbon emissions are changing the Earth's climate. If the Earth's temperature does rise, the entire planet will change. Humans are incredibly resilient, but even human ingenuity may be useless when it comes to halting the damaging effects of global warming.

Heat Related Fatalities

• Heat strokes and other heat-related illnesses will increase along with the rise in global temperature. The elderly are especially susceptible to this particular side effect. In an effort to keep cool in the rising heat, people may increasingly rely on devices such as air-conditioning units. This temporary solution to the rising temperature will exacerbate the problem in the end because it introduces even more toxic emissions into the air, causing the temperature to increase further.

Human Settlement Displacement

• There are mass reserves of water that remain perpetually frozen at both the north and south poles due to the freezing temperatures. As the global heat increases, the ice reserves at both poles will melt and affect the water levels all around the globe. This can cause mass flooding in areas, which may displace communities near large bodies of water. As people crowd towards dry land, overcrowding will occur. People will lose their financial investments in their homes and communities.

Dwindling Resources

• Humans are not the only life that will suffer due to displacement as the water levels rise. The water will rush in and wipe out farmland that feeds livestock. Crop fields will also suffer as thousands of gallons of water washes over them, burying them into the ocean. This will put a strain on the food resources of people all around the world. Lands with once plentiful food reserves will have to carefully ration their food and water supplies. Rising water will contaminate fresh water sources as well, lowering the supply of drinkable water for humans.

Increased Disease

• Overcrowding, increased heat, contaminated water supplies and diseased food will lead to the spread of disease. When you live in an enclosed location surrounded by contaminated water sources, disease is going to spread quickly. For example, mosquitoes breed in water and carry a wide variety of diseases that kill millions of people every year. The mosquito population may increase in the excessive amount of standing water, which will increase the chances of spreading disease to humans and livestock.