Extreme Weather Events and Public Health Responses

319 Pages·2005·6.515 MB·English

by  Dr. Antonio Navarra (auth.), Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Wilhelm Kirch, Dr. Roberto Bertollini, Dr. Bettina Menne (eds.)

Extreme Weather Events and Public Health Responses
0000__wweeaatthheerr eevveennttss__nneeuu..iinndddd II 2222..0066..22000055 1133::0000::5588
W. Kirch, B. Menne and R. Bertollini (Editors)
Extreme Weather Events
and Public Health
Responses
With 94 Illustrations and 29 Tables
Published on behalf of
the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
by Springer-Verlag
123
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Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Wilhelm Kirch Dr. Bettina Menne
Past President European Public Health Association Global Change and Health
(EUPHA) WHO Regional Office for Europe
Chairman Public Health Research Association Saxony WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Medical Faculty, Technical University Dresden Via Francesco Crispi, 10
Fiedlerstr. 27 I – 00187 Rome
D – 01307 Dresden Italy
Germany
Dr. Roberto Bertollini
Special Programme on Health and Environment
WHO Regional Office for Europe
WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Via Francesco Crispi, 10
I – 00187 Rome
Italy
ISBN 3-540-24417-4 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York
Library of Congress Control Number: 2005921906
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We are grateful to the Ministry of Health of Slovakia
for hosting the meeting from which this manuscript has been developed.
We are sincerely grateful to Mrs. Beatrix Hörger and Mrs. Ines Kube, Dresden,
for their excellent assistance in editing this book.
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Contents
Foreword by Rudolf Zajac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XI
R. Zajac
Foreword by Karin Zaunberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XIII
K. Zaunberger
Preface by Wilhelm Kirch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XV
W. Kirch
Preface by Jacqueline McGlade and Roberto Bertollini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XVII
J. McGlade, R. Bertollini
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XIX
W. Kirch
Extreme Weather Events and Health: An Ancient New Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XXVII
B. Menne
List of Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XLI
Climate Variability and Extremes in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. The Climate Dilemma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A. Navarra
2. Projected Changes in Extreme Weather and Climate Events in Europe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
G. R. McGregor, C. A. T. Ferro, D. B. Stephenson
3. Is the Frequency and Intensity of Flooding Changing in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Z. W. Kundzewicz
4. Bio-climatological Aspects of Summer 2003 Over France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
J.-C. Cohen, J.-M. Veysseire, P. Bessemoulin
5. Improving Public Health Responses to Extreme Weather Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
K. L. Ebi
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VIII Contents
Temperature Extremes and Health Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6. Cold Extremes and Impacts on Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
J. Hassi
7. Temperature Regulation, Heat Balance and Climatic Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
G. Havenith
8. Health Impact of the 2003 Heat Wave in France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
S. Vandentorren, P. Empereur-Bissonnet
9. Portugal, Summer 2003 Mortality: the Heat Waves Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
R. M. D. Calado, J. S. Botelho, J. Catarino, M. Carreira
10. The Effects of Temperature and Heat Waves on Daily Mortality in Budapest,
Hungary, 1970 – 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
A. Paldy, J. Bobvos, A. Vámos, R. S. Kovats, S. Hajat
11. Epidemiologic Study of Mortality During Summer 2003 in Italian Regional Capitals:
Results of a Rapid Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
S. Conti, P. Meli, G. Minelli, R. Solimini, V. Toccaceli, M. Vichi, M. C. Beltrano, L. Perini
12. Heat Waves in Italy: Cause Specific Mortality and the Role of Educational Level
and Socio-Economic Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
P. Michelozzi, F. de’Donato, L. Bisanti, A. Russo, E. Cadum, M. DeMaria, M. D’ Ovidio,
G. Costa, C. A. Perucci
Response to Temperature Extremes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
13. Lessons of the 2003 Heat Wave in France and Action Taken to Limit
the Effects of Future Heat Waves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
T. Michelon, P. Magne, F. Simon-Delavelle
14. Examples of Heat Health Warning Systems: Lisbon’s ÍCARO’s Surveillance System,
Summer of 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
P. J. Nogueira
15. Lessons from the Heat Wave Epidemic in France (Summer 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
L. Abenhaim
16. How Toronto and Montreal (Canada) Respond to Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
T. Kosatsky, N. King, B. Henry
Flooding: The Impacts on Human Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
17. Lessons to be Learned from the 2002 Floods in Dresden, Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
D. Meusel, W. Kirch
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Contents IX
18. The Human Health Consequences of Flooding in Europe: A Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
S. Hajat, K. L. Ebi, R. S. Kovats, B. Menne, S. Edwards, A. Haines
19. Mortality in Flood Disasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Z. W. Kundzewicz, W. J. Kundzewicz
20. Key Policy Implications of the Health Effects of Floods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
E. Penning-Rowsell, S. Tapsell, T. Wilson
21. Learning from Experience: Evolving Responses to Flooding Events
in the United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
M. McKenzie Hedger
National Case-Studies on Health Care System Responses to Extreme Weather Events 235
22. Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria for the Period 2001–2003
and Responses to Address Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
R. Chakurova, L. Ivanov
23. 2002 – A Year of Calamities – The Romanian Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
A. Cristea
24. A System of Medical Service to assist the Population of Uzbekistan
in the Case of Natural Catastrophes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
A. A. Khadjibayev, E. M. Borisova
25. Moscow Smog of Summer 2002. Evaluation of Adverse Health Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
V. Kislitsin, S. Novikov, N. Skvortsova
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
26. Extreme Weather Events: What Can We Do to Prevent Health Impacts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
B. Menne
Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
27. “Public Health Response to Extreme Weather and Climate Events”
Working Paper of the 4th Ministerial Conference for Environment an Health,
Budapest, June 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
28. Currently ongoing Study on Health Effects of Extreme Weather Events: The Follow-up
Programme on the Influence of Meteorological Changes Upon Cardiac Patients. . . . . . . 283
I. Heim
Subject Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
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Foreword by Rudolf Zajac
Climate changes, a signifi cant and truly global problem of mankind, represent a considerable risk factor
for our environment and health. Extreme weather events are undisputed proof of climate changes. Th ey
are occuring with increasing frequency, aff ecting all continents of the world, with Europe being no excep-
tion. Th e intensity and frequency of events resulting from climate changes, such as fl oods, heatwaves and
coldwaves, fi res, winds and other natural disasters, have risen dramatically in recent years. Th e loss of
homes, property, health, and human lives resulting from these disasters are a threat to people living both
inland and on the coast. Th erefore, it is necessary to intensify all eff orts to identify eff ective measures to
minimize the political, economic, social, environmental, and health consequences of these events.
Our present knowledge of extreme weather impact, gained by international cooperation of governmental
and non-governmental institutions and organizations, has signifi cantly contributed to the identifi cation
of factors infl uencing the change of climate and to the recognition of health impact assessment (WHO),
but equally it shows that we are not yet adequately prepared to face threats and to overcome situations
in which people are confronted with extreme weather events. Consequently, it is necessary to continue
discussion on how to predict and prevent disasters, what to do once they have occured, and how to reduce
the damages and the harm caused by them.
It is imperative to continue this discussion on the level of experts from various fi elds and professions, to
inform the public, and to persuade government representatives and politicians to make reasonable deci-
sions and to take eff ective measures to enable society to face the impact of climate changes on health.
Slovakia welcomed the opportunity to organize an international meeting in cooperation with the World
Health Organization on the 9th and 10th of February 2004 in Bratislava and thus contribute to the dis-
cussion on the impact of extreme weather on human health. Experts from 25 countries outlined possible
resources in the fi eld of extreme climate changes. Th is publication is a compilation of concrete case studies
and the presentations by individual countries delivered during the meeting.
I believe that this publication will be a signifi cant asset for many countries and will serve as a knowledge
base for the preparation of eff ective strategies, national action plans and measures, thus contributing to the
minimization and the moderation of the negative consequences of global climatic changes.
March 2005 Minister of Health of Slovakia
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Foreword by Karin Zaunberger
I am honoured to write a few introductory lines for the topic heat waves in the context of the book on “Ex-
treme Weather Events & Public Health Responses”. Th e heat wave of August 2003 in Europe was evidence
that no-one is on the safe side when it comes to the impacts of climate change. Th ough some may argue
about whether these extreme weather events are linked to global change or not, these events revealed in a
rather drastic way our vulnerability and our lack of preparation.
Th e project cCASHh “Climate change and adaptation strategies for human health in Europe” (May 2001 –
J uly 2004), co-ordinated by WHO and supported by the “Energy, Environment and Sustainable Develop-
ment Programme”, in the Fift h EU Framework programme for Research and Development aimed at
• identifying the vulnerability to adverse impacts of climate change on human health;
• reviewing current measures, technologies, policies and barriers to improving the adaptive capacity of
populations to climate change;
• identifying for European populations the most appropriate measures, technologies and policies to suc-
cessfully adapt to climate change; and
• providing estimates of the health benefi ts of specifi c strategies, or combinations of strategies, for adap-
tation in diff erent climate and socio-economic scenarios.
Some of the research results are refl ected in this book. Not only do these types of research activities need
an interdisciplinary approach, but also prevention of and preparation for extreme weather events need
cooperation at all levels and throughout disciplines. Th e cCASHh project was a good example and I hope
that this important work will be continued.
Project Offi cer, European Commission, DG RTD
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