Climate change makes us sick, under indictment smog and fine dust

THE SNOW will not arrive, not even in the prophetic ‘days of the merla’, the coolest ones of the year. But the news should not be concerned only for a matter of weather, because this is just another signal that the weather is changing effects fall directly on our health . As has been emphasized by the report in The Lancet Countdow on Health and Climate Change published in The Lancet, the result of a collaboration between 120 experts from 35 institutions around the world - including the World Health Organization (Who), the World Bank, the University College London and the University of Tsinghua - which analyzed 41 key indicators, suggesting what actions to be taken to reverse the situation, thus safeguarding the environment and our health.
For infants and children most infectious diseases, A child born today will have throughout the life marked by climate change. Infants are more susceptible to malnutrition: with the increase of temperature, in fact, the potential average yield of corn (-4%), wheat (-6%), soy (-3%) and rice (-4%) is gradually decreased in the last 30 years and, as a result, food prices are based on these cereals have increased. But there is more. “Children will be most affected by infectious diseases,” explained Marina Romanello , the data scientist of The Lancet. “2018 was the second year that climatically most favored the spread of bacteria, the main cause of diarrhoeal diseases, and infections from wounds at the global level. Climate and environmental changes may also increase the risk of vector-borne diseases in Europe. In Italy, for example, the ability to acquire the virus and transmit it to a susceptible host, the mosquito Aedes albopictus to the virus responsible for dengue fever, has increased 50% in almost 40 years. “This does not mean that there are more cases of dengue - precise Romanello - but it does mean that the suitability of the climate for the virus is increasing in Italy, and then, at a certain point, if a mosquito infected with the virus arrives in our country will find the environment suitable to transmit the disease.”
Fuels, pollution and diseases In 2016, according to estimates by the Who, 2.9 million people worldwide have died prematurely due to pollution from fine dust. It is estimated that during adolescence, the impact of air pollution will worsen, with premature deaths in 2016 reached 2.9 million, more than 440,000 due to the only coal). “The human health and that of the planet are closely linked,” said Paolo Vineis , professor of environmental epidemiology at the Imperial College of London. We know, for example, that beyond the deaths, the pollution also increases the hospitalizations, visits to the doctor, asthma attacks and changes in lung function and the immune system. Are therefore to be encouraged, interventions in sectors such as transport, production of clean energy, or power, that improve the health of citizens and contribute to pace substantially to the mitigation of climate change”.
Increase events from extreme weather
Always assuming the path of a child born today, the experts of The Lancet highlight how adult and even more of the elderly will intensify extreme weather events, with 152 of 196 countries have recorded an increase of people exposed to fires from 2001-2004, and a record in 2018 to 220 million people over 65 years of age exposed to heat waves (63 million compared to 2017).

Italy an ideal laboratory for the care of the planet
our Country, according to the Lancet, among the first places in Europe and eleventh in the world, to mortality from fine particulate matter, is also a lab is extraordinary, thanks to its geographical position and the extreme heterogeneity of meteo-climatic, to be able to study and develop strategies and actions capable of mitigating climate change. “To build a sustainable future must be a strong commitment because our health and especially that of future generations passes through the planet's health,” said Silvio Brusaferro , president of the Institute of Health intervening yesterday at a roundtable on the theme. We are working so that the Institute may testify as soon as a model of sustainability in the organisation and through good practice. All the Institutions, but also citizens are called to reversal of direction in the policies and behaviours of the individual. Together, rewrite the Italian profile of the Lancet Countdown is possible. We are ready to do our part.”

Drones to control pollution of the waters
And, in fact, just a few days ago in the Institute have been installed in the racks for parking the bicycles. Not only that, Brusaferro has presented the new drones in the water, the designed, also thanks to the contribution of the Italian scientists, to control the pollution of the waters of the lakes and rivers. The flying robots were created in the framework of the European Project Horizon 2020 IntCatch, which was also attended by the Iss, and are already used to monitor the “health” of the water. The drones are equipped with sensors that can measure a wide range of garments, including temperature, pH, conductivity, nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus), metals and total hydrocarbons. Through an app, researchers can get real-time data. “The drones can help us to detect the possible presence of polluting substances in the waters of the rivers and decide how to take action,” he explained Brusaferro.

booth Spa Italy
Working to counter climate change and its effects on the health also the Director's Cabin well-being, established recently at the council of ministers, and including representatives of the trustees of all the ministries and also the national Institute of Health: “The director's cabin has the objective of spread - with a holistic approach - the attitude to the well-being not only in Public administrations, the departments of the local authorities, but also in the companies and in the academic world,” explained the coordinator of Filomena Maggino , professor of social Statistics at the University La Sapienza. “We are working on five areas, starting from the regeneration equitable and sustainable, i.e. not a simple renovation of buildings, but upgrading to 360° of the territory, which also has social impacts. The other areas on which we will work are those of mobility, energy transition, circular economy, the quality of the times and the styles of life”.

"The Republic will fight always in defense of the freedom of information, to its readers and to all those who have at heart the principles of democracy and civil coexistence"

Carlo Verdelli SUBSCRIBERS TO REPUBLIC © Reproduction reserved Today By the League and allies critical to Salvini. Giorgetti: errors in the countryside Elly Schlein: “Courage on migrants. Just follow the centre” Pd, Zingaretti says yes to Prodi: “I Want a party that is more open,” The majority without justice Bonafede delegation leader, but alliances split the 5S

the Republic