There have been speculations that climate change will result in changes in agricultural production, an increase flooding, typhoons/hurricanes, earthquakes and other problems. This claim has prematurely borne these catastrophic events as we have been continuously experiencing these events within the last ten years. According to Population Action International “Unfortunately, most solutions to climate change have focused on restricting emissions of greenhouse gases and supplying the governments of poor countries with another alleged consequence of climate change is the spread of vector-borne and bacterial diseases. As with climate in general, these diseases are a problem today and they affect the poor far more than the wealthy. Vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, are essentially diseases of poverty.

Many countries that are today wealthy once experienced levels of vector-borne diseases similar to those now experienced by poor countries. In the fourteenth century, one-third of Europe’s population died from the Black Death, which was spread by fleas that thrived on rats living in the sewers of medieval towns. Wealthy countries have largely eliminated such diseases through a combination of environmental interventions (such as the use of pesticides), improved water and sanitation systems, and the development of vaccines and medicines.

Every year, between one and three million people die from malaria. A similar number die from dehydration as a result of diarrhoea. Around 2 million people die from respiratory infections. Most of these 6 million total deaths are children, all of them are poor, and most of their deaths are preventable. Some of the factors that affect disease transmission include:
Malnourishment: Poor people tend to be less well-nourished than wealthy people. They often eat a diet based on staple foods, and lack essential vitamins and minerals. The effect is that their defense systems are weaker and less able to fight off disease. Paradoxically some rich people also suffer from malnourishment, but this is a consequence of the voluntary consumption of inappropriate types and quantities of food, rather than lack of access to nutritious food. The dietary mishaps of the rich can be simply rectified by choosing to eat a better diet; this is not an option for the poor.

I decided to write this blog post in response to comments made by the Ambassador of Korea Mr. Geun-hyeong Yim yesterday at the Rio+20 on sustainable development briefing. During his presentation Ambassador Hyeong Yim outlined the 7 key priority areas to be focused on at Rio, however within these areas there was no mention of health. As a SRHR/HIV&AIDS youth activist I was personally disappointed on how little the UNFCCC and RIO organizers regard the issue of Health specially SRHR as a key component of their sustainable development advocacy and work. The sustenance of a healthy population will no doubt result in a growing, sustained, progressive and developed society.

The World Bank reported in 2009 that average age of life expectancy is 69.4 with some countries averaging as low as 32.1%. Many of these countries are continuously plagued with health related issues such as an increase HIV/AIDS cases, Malnutrition, starvation among others. While many of these epidemics are not as a result of climate change there are those that are direct results of famine, floods, migration caused by climate change, lack of potable water, relocation caused by hurricane/typhoons and diarrhoea. In regions and countries that predominately depends on agriculture as their main source of income the increase in temperature will negatively affect the mode of income and as such will result in the loss of crops, and loss of income, livelihood. The perpetual health related deaths caused by climate change have and will continue to negatively affect the sustainability of our individual, regional and international communities.

Coupled with the issue of health is that of population, the UN celebrated the 7th Billion person in October of this year, however there are reports coming out UN that some areas are too populated. The scarcity of resources will no doubt lead to limited and unbalance distribution creating an even greater gap between the rich and the poor. Population growth is already putting a strain on the world’s limited supply of freshwater. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization on the UN more than 45 countries are currently experiencing water scarcity, this situation will no doubt leave many at greater risk of poverty or disease especially our vulnerable population: those living with disabilities, women and children.
It is evidently clear that there is little cohesion among the UN agencies as simple areas of cohesion and correlation would not have been ignored. I therefore call upon the United Nations, its member states, international civil society to acknowledge the interconnectivity of all social, economic and politic issues and approach each not as a separate issue but as a result of or cause of.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon mentioned in his presentation yesterday that “UN must continue to deliver as one” it’s time we begin to practice what we preach!!