The Relationship between Climate Change and Human Well-being: Tackling One Positively Impacts on the Other

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Laura Maisvoreva, a young medical student aspiring to make a meaningful change in the Zimbabwean Healthcare system,. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Climate change is a major issue that needs to be addressed with a sense of urgency. Recently, there was a snowstorm that ravaged Texas, leaving many without access to clean water, proper sanitation, and power. Some people died and many others suffered from hypothermia. Why might this be happening? Two words: climate change. The arctic is said to be ‘heating up’, causing cold air to move south, hence the chilling and unbearable temperatures. Could this storm have been prevented? Possibly. Human crises like this, serve as a drastic reminder to us all to contribute, with urgency, to SDG 13: Climate Action. A collaborative effort to achieve this goal would simultaneously achieve other goals, such as SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.In order to collaborate and aid in the halting of climate change, we must discover and dismantle the root causes of this global issue. It has been evidenced that pollution negatively influences the biosphere; it is one of the major drivers of climate change and the destruction of wildlife. However, scientists have found that the impact of air pollution on humans is also devastating. It was recently found by an inquest that air pollution “made a material contribution” to the death of a nine year old girl from London, making her the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Whilst we can all be impacted by air pollution, those living with respiratory conditions are at a much higher risk. Air pollution has had many other effects on our planet. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in recent years have rapidly accelerated global warming. In 2020, scientists confirmed that “warmer than average” temperatures were experienced during the course of this year and 2020 was described as one of the warmest years our planet has had in the last 141 years. This increase in global temperatures can be attributed to human activity destroying the earth’s protective covering, the ozone layer. It’s no secret that a surge of skin cancer cases can be traced back to exposure to these UV rays. In 2020 alone, 63,731 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer were recorded by the Global Cancer Observatory. 

About the author

Laura is a young lady aspiring to make a meaningful change in the Zimbabwean Healthcare system, through health equity advocacy and addressing the discrepancies that prevent quality healthcare delivery for all by understanding and applying principles of universal health coverage. She is passionate about achieving the UN SDGs by 2030, with a particular interest in Good Health and Wellbeing, Climate Action, and Responsible Consumption and Production. Laura is keen to collaborate on projects that address other sustainable development goals and those that empower youth to take their seats at the decision-making table for a more inclusive and sustainable future.