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Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events and Health Effects

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The Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Since the 1970s an increase in temperatures has been observed, and future climate predictions suggest an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Conversely to other environmental risks, climate change is a global phenomenon which will have an impact on the population’s health at the global scale. In recent years, many studies have documented the impact of extreme events and climate variability on health as well as estimating the potential future risks under different climate change scenarios. An overview of the potential effects of climate change on health in the Mediterranean region is presented focussing on the increase in health burden associated with heat waves and extreme events, floods and droughts, air pollution episodes and, to the rise in the indirect health effects of infectious disease.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Via di Santa Costanza 53, 00198, Rome, Italy

    Francesca de’ Donato & Paola Michelozzi

Authors
  1. Francesca de’ Donato
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  2. Paola Michelozzi
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Correspondence to Francesca de’ Donato .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Stefano Goffredo

  2. Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Zvy Dubinsky

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de’ Donato, F., Michelozzi, P. (2014). Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events and Health Effects. In: Goffredo, S., Dubinsky, Z. (eds) The Mediterranean Sea. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6704-1_38

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