Climate Variability and Change and their Health Effects in the Caribbean : Climate Variability and Change and their Health Effects in the Caribbean Joan L. Aron, Ph.D.
Vulnerability Associated with
Climate Variability and Climate Change in
Central America and the Caribbean
IAI Summer Institute Oct 26 - Nov 8, 2003
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Alliance of Small Island States : Alliance of Small Island States 'Perhaps when the human health costs of climate change are appreciated and added to the material costs and environmental damages faced by small island States a new spirit of cooperation and partnership will emerge.'
His Excellency Tuiloma Neroni Slade Ambassador of Samoa to the United Nations Chairman, Alliance of Small Island States
Barbados, May 21, 2002
Alliance of Small Island States : Alliance of Small Island States AOSIS: Coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries
Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Pacific, South China Sea
Issues of environment and development
Vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change SEA LEVEL RISE
CHANGES IN RAINFALL REGIMES
Small Island Developing States Factors increasing vulnerability : Small Island Developing States Factors increasing vulnerability Small physical size
Surrounded by large expanses of ocean
Relative isolation
Limited natural resources
Growing populations
Exposure to damaging natural disasters
Low economic diversification
Limited funds, human resources, skills
Global Climate ChangeSea level rise : Global Climate Change Sea level rise Displacement of coastal communities
Disturbance of agricultural activity
Coastal erosion, beach loss, decline in tourism
Intrusion of sea water into freshwater aquifers
Multiple Time ScalesSea level rise : Multiple Time Scales Sea level rise Sea level rise (long time scale) Storm event (short time scale) Increased vulnerability to storm surges, coastal flooding
Global Climate ChangeThreat of sea level rise : Global Climate Change Threat of sea level rise
Hurricane Lenny Eastern Caribbean : Hurricane Lenny Eastern Caribbean
Global Climate ChangeChanges in rainfall regimes : Global Climate Change Changes in rainfall regimes Prospect of more frequent droughts and floods in tropical ocean regions in which small island states are located
Water supply is a major concern
Experience of small island states is a microcosm of the global picture
International Year of Freshwater 2003
Water ResourcesGlobal issue : Water Resources Global issue International Year of Freshwater 2003
Multiple Time ScalesChanges in rainfall regimes : Multiple Time Scales Changes in rainfall regimes The El Niño/Southern Oscillation ( ENSO ) affects global weather patterns, cycling every two to seven years
Rainfall regimes shift
Floods or droughts
Responses to ENSO help to reduce adverse impacts of climate on health
ENSO 1997-1998Drought in Pacific Islands : ENSO 1997-1998 Drought in Pacific Islands
ENSO 1997-1998Drought in Pacific Islands : ENSO 1997-1998 Drought in Pacific Islands More skin disease in FSM, Marshalls
Poor air quality from wildfires in Guam, Pohnpei, Yap, Palau
Relief food shipments
Information campaign reduced incidence of diarrheal disease in Pohnpei hospital
Water storage and conservation
Many diseases under study ( dengue, ... )
Vector-borne DiseasesDengue : Vector-borne Diseases Dengue
Vector-borne DiseasesDengue : Vector-borne Diseases Dengue The Caribbean region has experienced a marked increase in the incidence of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever in the past decade (Caribbean Epidemiology Centre - CAREC)
Assessments of the impact of climate change on the health sector point to a potential increase in the incidence of dengue (Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean)
Vector-borne DiseasesDengue : Vector-borne Diseases Dengue Major factors driving the spread of dengue include population growth, rapid urbanization, lack of effective mosquito control and movement of new dengue virus strains between countries. The global climate system is itself complex. Scientists are researching the role of climate and the best ways to use climate data in dengue control.
Vector-borne DiseasesDengue : Vector-borne Diseases Dengue Regional research project to devise a climate-based early warning system to predict and mitigate outbreaks of dengue fever in the Caribbean
Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change [AIACC]
University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Jamaica
Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC]
IAI-supported Collaborative Research Network on Diagnostics and Prediction of Climate Variability and Human Health Impacts in the Tropical Americas
Vector-borne DiseasesDengue : Vector-borne Diseases Dengue Another project applies Hadley climate model version 3 to project a modest temperature rise in the eastern Caribbean and a reduction in rainfall
Statistical and neural net early warning system for dengue on the island of Java
Vector-borne DiseasesMalaria : Vector-borne Diseases Malaria
Vector-borne DiseasesMalaria : Vector-borne Diseases Malaria Two study sites in Colombia as part of the IAI-supported Collaborative Research Network on climate variability and health
Link between environmental temperature and the number of malaria cases
Study of a Bioclimatological Monitoring System in Institute of Meteorology in Cuba
Other Climate and Health Issues : Other Climate and Health Issues Urban heat islands (San Juan, Puerto Rico]
17-fold increase in asthma since 1973; 19.8% prevalence currently [Barbados]
Algal blooms in the sea [Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean]
Nutritional deficiencies due to decreased food production [Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean]
Climate and Food Security in Central America : Climate and Food Security in Central America PAHO is developing a project on climate and food security in Central America
PAHO’s Nutrition Institute of Central America and Panama (INCAP) in Guatemala
Cuba, 1895-1898Epidemics in war & peace : Cuba, 1895-1898 Epidemics in war andamp; peace Wartime can increase crowding, contact, migration, vulnerability to disease
Spanish military ordered rural civilians to towns and halted transportation of foodstuffs
Different vulnerabilities to different diseases in different groups
Spanish soldiers lacked immunity to yellow fever
Cuban civilians lacked immunity to smallpox
Regional InteractionsAfrican dust in the Caribbean : Regional Interactions African dust in the Caribbean
Regional InteractionsAfrican dust in the Caribbean : Regional Interactions African dust in the Caribbean African dust is transported in the atmosphere across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean.
Drought conditions in Africa have led to increasing amounts of dust over the past few decades.
Ongoing studies probe the effects of dust on human health, coral reefs, agriculture and livestock.
Regional InteractionsRiver outflows from S. America : Regional Interactions River outflows from S. America
Regional InteractionsRiver outflows from S. America : Regional Interactions River outflows from S. America Massive kills of reef fish from Trinidad andamp; Tobago to Barbados - July to October 1999
Freshwater bacterium Streptococcus iniae isolated from dead and dying fish
High rainfall in northern S. America in 1999
Large quantities of fresh water from Amazon and Orinoco river basins
Lower salinities, higher temperatures, unusual reverse currents in the Caribbean
Public Health Response : Public Health Response 'Ministries of Health should play a central role in this response -- but should also remember that finding enduring solutions will depend on inter-sectoral communication and convergence.'
Professor Tony McMichael Director, National Centre of Epidemiology and Population Health Australian National University
Barbados, May 21, 2002
Inter-Agency Network on Climate and Human Health : Inter-Agency Network on Climate and Human Health World Health Organization
World Meteorological Organization
United Nations Environment Programme and their regional offices
Inter-Agency Network Workshops in small island states : Inter-Agency Network Workshops in small island states Pacific Ocean: Apia, Samoa, 2000
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific
WMO Subregional Office for the South Pacific
Caribbean Sea: St. Philip, Barbados, 2002
Pan American Health Organization
Office of Caribbean Program Coordination
UNEP Regional Office for Latin Amer. andamp; Carib.
Indian Ocean: Maldives, 2003 ( December )
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
Principal Partners in Caribbean Meeting on Barbados : Principal Partners in Caribbean Meeting on Barbados Barbados Ministries
Health; Physical Development andamp; Environment Caribbean Organizations
CPACC; CEHI; CAREC; CIMH
U.S. Donors
EPA; NOAA; NASA Canadian Donors
Health; Environment
Next Steps in Climate and Health : Next Steps in Climate and Health Recommendations from workshop participants for enhancing awareness, using data, and strengthening institutions
Coordination of sharing of information and networking of regional organizations
Maldives workshop (Dec. 2003)
Guidelines for national vulnerability and adaptation assessments of health impacts of climate change
Climate Change and Human Health: Risks and Responses : Climate Change and Human Health: Risks and Responses WHO Publication in 2003 edited by Tony McMichael et al.
Interagency Network on Climate and Human Health (WHO, WMO, UNEP]
Seeks to describe the context and process of global climate change, its actual or likely impacts on health, and how human societies and their governments should respond
Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre : Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre Approved by CARICOM Heads of Government in 2002 and effectively starting in 2003
Host territory is Belize
Mandated to act as an executing agency for regional climate change programs and projects
Advisory mechanism on climate change policy to the CARICOM Secretariat and its member countries
Mesoamerican and Caribbean Geospatial Alliance (MACGA) : Mesoamerican and Caribbean Geospatial Alliance (MACGA) MACGA infrastructure starting in 2003
Improve access and distribution of existing and new spatial datasets
Supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development
Technical leadership from the U.S. Geological Survey EROS Data Center
Sunset in Barbados : Sunset in Barbados