Health & Wellbeing

The environment around us plays an important role in both our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Climate change is likely to affect the health of Scotland’s population both directly and indirectly.

Extreme events such as flooding and heatwaves may lead to increased illnesses, injuries, mental health problems and even death. Meanwhile indirect impacts may also impact on the health and wellbeing of Scottish people e.g. increased migration from areas of the world or the UK significantly impacted by climate change. However, it’s not all bad news; climate change may also bring opportunities and improvements in some aspect s health and wellbeing.

Key Impacts

Hotter Weather

Illness and death from heatwave e.g. heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Increase skin cancer and cataracts
Warm weather low flows leading to more water borne infections and food poisoning
Variability in water flows leading, potentially, to water quality and availability problems
Increase in food-borne diseases
Increased water temperatures – algal blooms in reservoirs
Tick-borne diseases will become more common

Flooding & Extreme Events

Deaths and injuries during flooding and extreme events
Increase in skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal disease as a result of flooding
Psychological impacts due to physical damage to property and long term impact on mental wellbeing
May affect delivery of health services and availability of fresh water

Wetter weather

Increased likelihood of smog or increased fungal or algal growth in buildings may affect respiratory conditions
Increased rainfall – increase bacteria in water

Longer growing season

Extended pollen exposure for hay fever sufferers

Other Indirect Impacts

Increase migration from other countries and other parts of the UK due to impacts of climate change in those areas
International migrants are often young and healthy but also often traumatised; also may bring new health needs including communicable disease
Need to plan capacity for increasing population
Different health related behaviour, expectations and cultural needs will affect service delivery
Food security
There may be significant impacts of climate change on the health delivery system itself – staff performance can be compromised and weather extremes may affect recovery of patients;
The buildings and other infrastructure of the NHS may not be resilient to climate change. Sadly the only mention of this in the Department for Health report is in the Minister’s preface.

Key Opportunities

Milder winters will lead to substantially less cold weather related deaths and illness.
Warm summers may encourage outdoor physical activity
Activities to reduce carbon may also have a positive impact on health e.g.:
- people walking or cycle to voluntarily reduce emissions
- More energy efficient housing: improved air quality and winter mortality
- Reduction in motorised transport: increased physical activity, reduced injury and death from crashes
- Low carbon electricity: improved air quality
- Reduction in food from animal sources: reduced cardiovascular disease

What’s happening?

Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework Health and Wellbeing Sector Action Plan

A Health and Wellbeing sector action plan is included within Scotland’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework. The plan provides an overview of the broad range of work planned over the coming years to strengthen resilience of the sector to the impacts of climate change. This plan will evolve and will be frequently updated.

Good Places, Better Health

The aim of this project is to develop from evidence through to policy and actions at national and local level what is needed to create positive physical environments which nurture health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. In particular, through the creation of sustainable places the project will identify and promote physical environments which will nurture childhood weight, reduced childhood asthma, reduced levels of unintentional injuries in children and positive mental health and wellbeing in childhood.

Research

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation had commissioned a number of research projects on the social impacts and social justice implications of climate change. The first phase of research is examining the social impacts and social justice implications of climate change for the UK. The research will look at both the direct effects of climate change associated with extreme weather (such as flooding, heatwaves and drought), sea level rise and coastal erosion and the indirect implications of climate change, for example, relating to resource use and the need for a 'just transition' to a low carbon economy and society. The relationship with poverty and disadvantage is an important focus.

More information

Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK 2008 (An update of the Department of Health report 2001/2002)

Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK (2001/2002 report)

Differential Social Impacts of Climate Change in the UK

Managing the health effects of climate change (Lancet and University College London Institute for Global Health Commission)

Climate Change & Health - Met Office