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Climate change: a brief overview of the science and health impacts for Australia
Author(s) -
Hanna Elizabeth G,
McIver Lachlan J
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja17.00640
Subject(s) - human health , global warming , climate change , environmental science , storm , climatology , fossil fuel , global health , natural resource economics , environmental protection , geography , meteorology , environmental health , ecology , political science , health care , medicine , geology , economics , biology , law
Summary The scientific relationship between atmospheric CO 2 and global temperatures has been understood for over a century. Atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 due to burning of fossil fuels have contributed to 75% of the observed 1°C rise in global temperatures since the start of the industrial era (about 1750). Global warming is associated with intensifying climatic extremes and disruption to human society and human health. Mitigation is vital for human health as continued current emission rates are likely to lead to 4°C of warming by 2100. Further escalation of Australia's hot and erratic climate will lead to more extreme climate‐related disasters of heatwaves, droughts, fires and storms, as well as shifts in disease burdens.