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Erika Lindwall
MPH500 Fundamentals of Public Health
Week 6 Environmental Health Issue Analysis
Global climate change has been an environmental health issue of controversy for some
time, but has recently started appearing in the news more frequently. Global warming refers to
the steadily increasing atmospheric temperatures of the earth that could lead to climate changes
resulting in natural disasters, melting of the polar icecaps, warming of the oceans, and other
unknown effects (Anup, 2013). The controversy revolves around what is causing the increasing
temperatures. There is strong evidence to suggest it is due to the emissions of greenhouse gases
through human activity.
This environmental health issue would affect everyone on the planet. Climate change
yields unusual weather patterns, natural disasters, and rising sea levels. One population that is
experiencing the effects of global climate change first hand is the people on the islands of
Kiribati (Morais, 2014). Climate change is evident here as the rising sea levels are starting to
overtake these islands. The natives of this country are being forced to leave, and it is predicted
that the islands will not exist by the end of this century. There are other islands like this whose
boundaries will be encroached upon by the rising sea levels.
The etiology behind global climate change could be a combination of two factors: natural
climate shift and increased greenhouse gas emissions (Remer & Pryzborski, 2011). Increased
greenhouse gas emission has been the most highly implicated factor. Greenhouse gases are those
that rise as the sun heats the atmosphere and function like a greenhouse, trapping heat in the
atmosphere, which over time causes the rising temperatures. The most abundant greenhouse gas
is carbon dioxide, which is released when fossil fuels are burned. Fossil fuels are burned through
transportation, cooking, electricity, and manufacturing processes. There was major upswing of
fossil fuel usage along with deforestation that prevented some of the carbon dioxide to be taken
out of the atmosphere, which caused the upswing of its presence in the atmosphere.
Prevention and control programs have been put in place at various stages of climate control. The
most recently implemented program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
working at the level of fossil fuel burning to decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by the
year 3030. There are several programs developed by the EPA to address the issue of global
climate change (Organized from: EPA, 2012):
EPA PROGRAM
Energy Star Buildings
Natural Gas Star/ AgStar/ Landfill Methane
Outreach Programs
Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership
Climate Wise Program
PURPOSE
Find energy efficient light, heat, and
ventilation systems to reduce emissions
Methane emission reduction in a cost-efficient
manner
Reduction of perflourinated compound
emissions
Company-specific emission reduction plans
Based on the programs the EPA has put into effect to reduce the greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States, it appears the U.S. it taking appropriate measures on all fronts to
deal with this environmental health issue of global climate change. Though, this is a battle that
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cannot be won by one country alone. It may be beneficial to work with the UN on creating a
more global effort to inform people about the potential dangers and how individuals can be
involved in the fight to keep the planet safe. Something that requires attention is the deforestation
that is reducing the earth’s natural ability to recycle carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
(Anup, 2013). Getting global deforestation under control would help reduce the risk of further
global warming.
References:
Morais, B. (2014). President Tong and his Disappearing Islands. The New Yorker. Retrieved
from: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/06/the-disappearing-islands-ofkiribati.html
Remer, L., Pryzborski, P. (2011). The Carbon Cycle: The Human Role. NASA: Earth
Observatory. Retrieved from:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/carbon_cycle2001.pdf
Shah, Anup. (2013). Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction. Global Issues. (11).
Retrieved from: http://www.globalissues.org/article/233/climate-change-and-global-warmingintroduction
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Global Warming and Climate Change. Retrieved
from: http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/aqtrnd95/globwarm.html