The Washington Post today reported on a study in the British medical journal, the Lancet, in which 63 researchers from 24 institutions worldwide described current and future health effects of climate change. A few notable findings from the article:
- Global temperatures have increased by .75 degrees Fahrenheit since 2000, but this increase is not uniform, with many areas experiencing extreme heat waves
- From 2000 to 2016, 125 million vulnerable adults were exposed to heat waves (high temperatures for 3 or more days). 2015 was the worst year on record for heat waves.
- Between 2007 and 2016, there were an average of 300 weather disasters per year. That's a 46 percent increase when compared to the decade between 1990 and 1999.
- Climate refugees are an increasing issue worldwide -- 3,500 Alaskans have recently been forced to move. Think also about climate refugees from Kiribati (see video above), Yemen, and even Smith and Tangier Islands in the Chesapeake Bay.
- Populations of the mosquito that carries dengue fever and Zika love warmer weather -- they've increased 9 percent since the 1950s
Check out the full article from the Washington Post, by Ben Guarino and Brady Dennis. And then consider this issue and the candidates' stances on climate change as you go to the polls on Tuesday.
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