A recently published study revealed that the confluence of rising temperatures and extreme weather events, like droughts and flash floods, could threaten world health in an alarming way — through our food.
What's happening?
The study, which food scientists in Egypt conducted, looked into the link between the warming of the planet and the rise of foodborne illnesses, reported Mongabay. The scientists particularly focused on how heat waves, droughts, and heavy precipitation could exacerbate these health conditions.
Researchers had long harbored concerns about how environmental events and practices (such as unsafe food storage and use of toxic chemicals in agriculture) connect to real-life public health crises, such as the recent cholera outbreak in the Central African country of Cameroon.
For example, Dr. Ahmed Alhussaini Hamad (one of the study's authors) sees connections between the disease and changes in water temperature and quality that are associated with heat and other extreme weather scenarios, noted Mongabay.
The study proved those worries to be founded, with findings "recommend[ing] monitoring the impact of climate change on food-borne pathogens to develop strategies to mitigate its effects on human health." Its authors also suggested deeper research into the overlap between weather conditions and foodborne illnesses in order to find solutions.
Why is a rise in foodborne illnesses important?
Per Mongabay, the World Health Organization reports that, annually, around 10% of the population experiences a foodborne illness, which can range from mild to life-threatening.
But, as the study noted, Africa bears a huge brunt of the burden, representing over 25% of the 420,000 annual deaths due to foodborne diseases. This, said Hamad in Mongabay, was of major concern as "rising numbers of food-borne illnesses can strain already overburdened health systems … and lead to significant financial losses in the agricultural sector."
It's another frightening consequence of the global rise in extreme weather. Natural disasters and temperature changes near and far have resulted in damage to property, economies, crops, and industries; mental and physical illnesses; and life-threatening and even fatal situations.
What can we do to decrease illness risk?
The authors of the study had a number of recommendations to lower the spread of foodborne diseases.
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For one, they suggest climate-conscious agriculture, like practicing conservation agriculture and adopting advanced agronomic practices. They advise improving food safety regulations and protocols while beefing up surveillance programs.
A last step was to continue to invest in understanding the link between the increase in foodborne illnesses and the warming of the planet and its effects.
Zooming out, lowering our own contributions to the warming of the planet will play a key role. Whether that's making the switch to an EV, lowering energy use through a heat pump, or installing solar panels, we can all pitch in individually.
Governments and companies can also play a large role by lowering their own reliance on dirty energy, supporting agricultural innovation, developing as sustainably as possible, and living up to pledges around carbon neutrality.
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