Climate CHIP Publications

The effects of extreme heat on human mortality and morbidity in Australia: implications for public health

Authors: 
Bi P, Williams S, Loughnan M, Lloyd G, Hansen A, Kjellstrom T, Dear KM, Saniotis A
Year: 
2010

Most regions of Australia are exposed to hot summers and regular extreme heat events; and numerous studies have associated high ambient temperatures with adverse health outcomes in Australian cities. Extreme environmental heat can trigger the onset of acute conditions, including heat stroke and dehydration, as well as exacerbate a range of underlying illnesses.

Regional maps of occupational heat exposure: past, present and potential future

Authors: 
Hyatt O, Lemke B, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

Background: An important feature of climate change is increasing human heat exposure in workplaces without cooling systems in tropical and subtropical countries. Detailed gridded heat exposure maps will provide essential information for public health authorities. Objectives: To develop and test methods for calculating occupational heat exposures and present results in easily interpreted maps.

Heat impact on school children in Cameroon, Africa: potential health threat from climate change

Authors: 
Dapi LN, Rocklov J, Nguefack-Tsague G, Tetanye E, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

Background: Health impacts related to climate change are potentially an increasing problem in Cameroon, especially during hot seasons when there are no means for protective and adaptive actions. Objective: To describe environmental conditions in schools and to evaluate the impact of heat on schoolchildren's health during school days in the Cameroon cities of Yaoundé and Douala. Methods: Schoolchildren (N=285) aged 12–16 years from public secondary schools completed a questionnaire about their background, general symptoms, and hot feelings in a cross-sectional study.

Climate change impacts on working people: how to develop prevention policies

Authors: 
Nilsson M, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

The evidence on negative consequences from climate change on human health and well-being is growing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described climate change as a threat to the climate system that sets the basis for life and human health conditions. The changing climate is expected to affect basic requirements needed to support and sustain human health such as good food, clean water, and unpolluted air, with negative effects that are expected to be unequally distributed.

Climate Change and Health -- impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation.

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Weaver HJ.
Year: 
2009

Global climate change is progressing and health impacts have been observed in a number of countries, including Australia. The main health impacts will be due to direct heat exposure, extreme weather, air pollution, reduced local food production, food- and vectorborne infectious diseases and mental stress. The issue is one of major public health importance. Adaptation to reduce the effects of climate change involves many different sectors to minimise negative health outcomes. Wide-scale mitigation is also required, in order to reduce the effects of climate change.

Associations between urbanisation and components of the health-risk transition in Thailand. A descriptive study of 87,000 Thai adults

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Weaver H
Year: 
2009

Background: Social and environmental changes have accompanied the ongoing rapid urbanisation in a number of countries during recent decades. Understanding of its role in the health-risk transition is important for health policy development at national and local level. Thailand is one country facing many of the health challenges of urbanisation. Objective: To identify potential associations between individual migration between rural and urban areas and exposure to specific social, economic, environmental and behavioural health determinants.

The direct impact of climate change on regional labour productivity

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Kovats S, Lloyd SJ, Holt T, Tol RSJ.
Year: 
2009

Global climate change will increase outdoor and indoor heat loads, and may impair health and productivity for millions of working people. This study applies physiological evidence about effects of heat, climate guidelines for safe work environments, climate modeling, and global distributions of working populations to estimate the impact of 2 climate scenarios on future labor productivity. In most regions, climate change will decrease labor productivity, under the simple assumption of no specific adaptation.