WHO: 77,000 Die Annually in Asia-Pacific from Climate Change
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - International experts will meet next month to discuss the threat to health posed by global warming, which directly or indirectly contributes to about 77,000 deaths annually in Asia-Pacific, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
The July 2-5 meeting in Malaysia’s main city Kuala Lumpur comes amid forecasts that the global mean temperature will increase by as much as 6 degrees Celsius (42.80 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.
“We have now reached a critical stage in which global warming has already seriously impacted lives and health, and this problem will pose an even greater threat to mankind in coming decades if we fail to act now,” Shigeru Omi, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, was quoted as saying in the statement.
A recent WHO study estimated that climate change, directly or indirectly, contributes to about 77,000 deaths annually in Asia and the Pacific - about half of the world total attributed to global warming.
Among the potential effects of global warming would be the appearance of mosquitoes where they were previously absent, with the accompanying threat of malaria and dengue fever.
Some regions might be at risk of reduced rainfall, causing a shortage of fresh water and introducing the danger of waterborne diseases. Millions of people could be at risk of malnutrition and hunger if arable lands become unworkable.
Delegates will also be told that the increasing frequency of summer heat waves in temperate zones, and typhoons, hurricanes and floods throughout the world are signs of changing weather and climate patterns.
The conference, being organized by the WHO, will be attended by representatives of 14 countries, as well as by WHO partners in the environmental field.
Key findings from this workshop will be shared at a ministerial meeting in Bangkok on Aug. 8-9, attended by ministers of health and environment from 14 countries in the Southeast and East Asia regions.
© 2007 The Associated Press.
The Pagans with their pantheon of gods would never have dared show such disrespect for the earth and air and water. Monotheism may be an evolutionary improvement on the theological ladder but everything costs something. This charge in Genesis to “have dominion over” and “subdue” the earth,air and water as well as all other species of life was taken to extremes that are proving to be at best silly and improper and at worst criminal and apocalyptic.
I would tend to agree about the Pagans. Well, except for the people on Easter Island. I would expect that someone would have noticed that they were running out of trees and would be unable to leave the island if they kept chopping the things down.
But they didn’t and they decended pretty quickly into canabolism and chaos. I’m surprised that we haven’t seen a movie about it. Lots of opportunity for gratuitous violence.
I am not sure this has much to do with religion in reality. It is more about greed and hubris.
For the record, monotheism in ancient times was practiced almost solely by nomadic tribes (eg Israel), and was always associated with violence, intolerance, and war. However, it cannot be said that other religions were remarkably more peaceful.
Nonsense in the news…..A 6 degree Celsius increase in temperature does not equate to a 42.8 degree Fahrenheit increase, but to an increase of 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit; which is still very significant.
Yeah, somebody at the AP desk blew it. Six degrees Celsius is the same temperature as 42.8 degrees F, but a six degree increase is something altogether different!
Man’s chauvenism is magnified by the Bush Administration from HELL!