Climate Change and Disease
1 Corinthians 12:26 – “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it.”
The World Health Organization reports that climate change was estimated to be responsible in 2000 for approximately
- 2.4% of worldwide diarrhea
- 6% of malaria in some middle-income countries
The Environmental Protection Agency also notes this, stating that “throughout the world, the prevalence of some diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on local climate. Extreme temperatures can directly lead to:
- loss of life
- and changes in the range of infective parasites, which can indirectly impact the incidence of serious infectious diseases.
A response to climate change has to be part of our call to care for the least of these afflicted by disease. God calls us to care for these, and responding to climate change is part of that.
Return to the Climate and Poverty webpage.