Question

Give an example of a global health problem on which you have collaborated. What key agencies and organizations were stakeholders as either direct or indirect contributors in the collaboration?

Answer 1

Air pollution and climate change, one of the most important threats of global health. Climate change is the global variation of the Earth's climate due to natural causes and human activity. Global warming is accelerated by greenhouse gases caused by human activity. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Air pollution is the presence, in the air, of substances or particles that imply danger, damage or disturbance for humans, flora or fauna. The main sources of atmospheric contamination are tropospheric ozone gases (O₃), sulfur oxides (SO₂ and SO₃), nitrogen oxides (NO and NO₂), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and particulate matter (PM). These gases result mainly from emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels (including emissions generated by transport), industrial processes, burning of forests, aerosol use, and radiation.

Social harm:

Climate change causes drought, flooding, deforestation, homelessness and extinction of animal and plant species… resulting in famine and disease. Atmospheric pollution causes six million deaths a yearworldwide and a quarter of lung cancer cases, heart attacks and strokes, representing 0.3% of world GDP in health costs, as well as reducing productivity at work. Air pollution triggers illnesses such as kidney failure or infection.

So it is way past time that we act quickly for the betterment of our coming generation.

The organisations/agencies which are contributers include:

• United States Environment Protection Agency
• NOAA education
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)
• Washington State Department of Ecology and so on.