Officials: Global Warming Unhealthy

Officials from the U.S. and Britain say the
issue of global warming's effects on human health deserves major
billing at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen.

 

"Relying on fossil fuels leads to unhealthy lifestyles, increases
our chances of getting sick and in some cases takes years off our
lives," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
"[Global warming] is not an afterthought for my department — this is a
key part of our broader public health strategy."

 

Sebelius and others spoke last week at a Washington briefing
organized by the medical journal The Lancet, which recently launched a series of reports examining the public health effects of reducing carbon pollution.

 

Harvard researchers recently reported that
unchecked global warming could spur an increase in the frequency of
respiratory illnesses, kidney stones, malaria, Lyme disease, and other
ailments.