Climate Change and Health Dr. Sue Pollock Medical Health Officer, Interior Health Southern Interior Local Government Association Kelowna, April 20, 2016

 Terminology  Climate projections  Climate change in the Southern Interior  Health impacts  Adaptation strategies for government  How can the health sector support you? Outline

“The evidence is overwhelming: climate change endangers human health.” -Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General

 Global warming: increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases  Climate change: long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth Global warming vs Climate change name-global-warming-vs-climate-change

Mitigation vs Adaptation

Global atmospheric CO2

Global mean temperature

Sea level rise

Land ice - Antarctica

Arctic sea ice

Climate projections in BC

BC climate projections: extremes  Increase in extreme hot days  Increase in extreme rainfall  Decrease in extreme cold days  Increase in drought & fires Example: Cariboo Region 2050’s Source: BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative/PCIC

BC climate projections: water  More precipitation in winter & spring  Earlier peak flows  Less precipitation in summer  Decrease in spring snowfall & snowpack  Glaciers in advanced stages of retreat

Interior climate projections: temperature 2020s: + 1.0°C 2050s: + 1.8°C

Interior climate projections: precipitation 2020s: +4% 2050s: +6%

 Resource- dependent communities  Already vulnerable populations & communities  Interior & urban settings  Vulnerable water systems Regional impacts

Water quantity Source: BC River Forecast Centre

Water quantity

Oct. 30, 2015 (Last reporting day of the year)

Water quality

Global change and health risks Global Environmental Change and Human Health, 2007

Direct impacts: weather

Fires in In BC as of early August 2015

Indirect impacts: natural systems  Diseases & pathogens  Water, food, vectors  Air quality & air pollution  Indoor and outdoor

Air quality

Respiratory conditions

 Food & water supply  Socioeconomic impacts  Social & mental stress  Demands on health care services Indirect impacts: human systems

Food and agriculture

 Effects of climate change felt at local levels  Responsibility to protect their citizens  Address impacts through existing tools, programs and authority  Understanding of local issues Why local governments?

 Land use planning  Regulatory powers  Emergency management planning  Civic building policy and building regulation  Infrastructure  Liquid waste management planning  Air quality planning  Biodiversity and conservation Adaptation strategies for government

How can the health sector support you?

What opportunities do you see for the health sector to support you on climate change?

 Brent Harris - Interior Health  Erica Crawford - BC Healthy Communities  Interior Health Climate Change Working Group Acknowledgements

Thank-you!