Gregory Downey, MD, FRCPC, ATSF
National Jewish Health and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA

Climate change represents a burgeoning crisis that has serious implications for respiratory health around the globe. The climate system of Earth is warming in part due to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases from human activity. The resultant increase in global surface temperatures impacts respiratory health through a variety of mechanisms including extreme weather events such as hurricanes and floods, wildfires, prolongation and amplification of allergy seasons, and worsening air pollution. Diverse groups of people, including children, elderly patients and patients with underlying respiratory disease, are at increased risk of complications and even death from these effects of climate change. Moreover, individuals of low socioeconomic status, including immigrant and migrant populations, are disproportionately affected by climate change. This presentation will summarize the varied ways in which climate change affects the respiratory health of individuals at home and in outdoor environments, the implications for economic and societal change, and ways in which these vulnerable individuals can protect themselves.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:

  • Understand the root causes of global warming and resultant climate change, including human activities that have accelerated the warming of surface temperatures of the Earth;
  • Understand how warming temperatures in combination with hurricanes and floods increase the peak levels and duration of high levels of airborne allergens thus impacting patients with asthma; and
  • Understand how higher levels of ambient particulate matter, from automobile and diesel truck exhaust and smoke from wildfires, impact the genesis and severity of disease in asthma, COPD and interstitial lung disease.

CanMEDS Roles Addressed: Collaborator, Communicator, Health Advocate, Leader, Medical Expert, Professional, Scholar