Human Health Case Study

There are many impacts of climate change that cause stress on human health. These impacts can be through direct exposure or indirect exposure. In either case these effects are caused by human development causing vulnerability and destabilization environmentally, socially, and economically all over the world. One specific location that is being effected most harshly by these added exposures is the island country of Funafuti, Tuvalu. This paper will discuss the extent of direct and indirect impacts as well as the ongoing adaptation and mitigation efforts in addressing the problem.

Direct impacts of climate change on human health can be defined as any act that occurs to the human body due to the climate system that is harmful or stressful. Some of these impacts on human health could include heat stress, flood, drought, and increased

The island of Tuvalu is home to about 10.5 million people. Of the island states that make up the entire country combined they emit only 0.06% of the global green house gasses however; they are among the most vulnerable to climate change. The island country is an average of less than 2 meter above sea level and lives in a very delicate environment. They live off of the land and sea and have been self-sufficient before climate change forced them to change their lifestyle. The accelerating effects of sea level rise are threatening their traditional way of life. Changing weather patterns, sea level rise, and flooding are the main direct impacts that the Tuvaluans are experiencing. The increase in frequency of tropical storms causes severe flooding that many times displaces residents and destroys homes. Sea level rise creates a long lasting issue with an average increase of 4 mm each year where even small changes are a significant change because of the low