Climate Change, Heat Waves, and Human Health

Abstract

The recent increases in global temperature have marked a critical milestone in the history of Earth. This has led to an intensification of weather patterns that have afflicted cities across the entire world and claimed the lives of thousands of individuals. The foci of this paper are three record-breaking heat wave events: Chicago, IL (1995), Lyon, France (2003), and Moscow, Russia (2010), where maximal temperatures reached unprecedented highs that increased heat-related mortality. The human body expends a wealth of energy to maintain ideal internal ranges, but prolonged exposure to extreme environmental conditions can tip organ systems into distress. This disruption is discussed in detail, along with the importance of public health preparedness as an adaptation strategy for the warmer future.