Abstract:
The impacts of climate change on human health were reviewed for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Marco Greater Bay Area. This review focused mainly on temperature variations, heat waves, cold spell, air quality degradation, climate sensitive diseases and emerging infectious diseases. The results showed that daily mean air temperature that is above or below the threshold (26.4 ℃ in Guangzhou, 28.2 ℃ in Hong Kong) could both increase the risk of death especially for the elderly who are more vulnerable to temperature variations in the Greater Bay Area. The effect of above-threshold heat on mortality was rapid and transient, whereas the effect of below-threshold cold on mortality was slow and persistent. Heat waves could cause insomnia, fatigue, clinical exacerbation, or death from heatstroke, and the negative influence of heat wave was more obvious in early summer. During a cold spell period in 2008, the risk of non-accidental deaths and respiratory disease deaths significantly increased. Both number of hazy days and ozone concentrations had significant positive correlations with the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Malaria was spread to high altitudes in mountainous areas and year-round epidemic zone of dengue fever was extended to high latitudes. The variations of the SARS epidemics were correlated remarkably with atmospheric elements. Low temperature and high humidity were conducive to the occurrence and transmission of avian influenza. In the future, temperature and precipitation patterns are likely to change under the context of climate change, which may result in more frequent extreme climate events and deteriorated natural ecosystems or multiplied pathogens. Therefore, risk of human health may be directly or indirectly aggravated. In addition, more vulnerable people emerge as a result of aging process. To mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on human health, interdisciplinary research should be done in the Greater Bay Area. Specifically, we should aim to reveal the health impact mechanism of climate change, conduct timely climate warning for human health, effectively protect vulnerable groups, and strengthen data sharing and sector cooperation.