Climate and health

The Earth’s climate is changing. Even seemingly small changes can have noticeable effects on our lives and our health.

There have always been extreme weather events like a rapid drop in temperature (cold snaps) and heat waves. But records show that what we're currently seeing is a more permanent change in the “typical” weather for particular regions and seasons – in other words, a change in the climate.

Natural changes in the climate are nothing new in the history of the Earth. But the human-caused climate change over the last 100 years is happening faster than natural processes. Especially in the last 40 years, it has happened so fast that it's becoming difficult for plants, animals and humans to adapt.

What are the causes of climate change?

According to researchers, climate change is being caused by modern industrial life and the economic activities of humans. Especially the burning of coal, oil and natural gas – along with modern farming – releases gases that increase the natural greenhouse effect, causing the Earth’s temperature to rise. The destruction of forests means that less greenhouse gases are absorbed in nature.

What are the effects of climate change?

Since the pre-industrial era (from about 1850 to 1900), the Earth's temperature has increased by an average of about 1.2 degrees Celsius (°C). That's about 34 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). The further away from the Equator, the more the temperatures have increased – most noticeably at the North and South Poles. One effect of this: The Polar ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising.

Land heats up more quickly than seas and oceans do. That explains why warming in Germany was above the global average in the year 2020, at 2°C (35.6°F).

Illustration: Temperature change (in °C') since 1880 – in Germany and globally. Source: Leopoldina Fact Sheet, 2021

The seemingly minor difference to pre-industrial temperatures is already having a major impact on the environment: for example, native animal and plant species are being displaced, new species are arriving and spreading and, above all, the typical weather is changing. Storms, heavy rain and storm surges with coastal flooding are becoming more common, but so are dryness, forest fires and periods of extreme heat. Some parts of the world experience droughts, flooding, famine, and conflict for living space.

How does global warming affect health?

The warmer climate in Germany and the resulting more common and longer heat waves have direct effects on our health. These include:

  • Dehydration and heat-related emergencies such as heatstroke, and heat-related deaths.
  • Skin damage and skin cancer, as well as eye conditions such as cataracts due to increased exposure to UV light.
  • Strain on your breathing and blood circulation, and worsening of respiratory diseases due to more ozone near the ground outdoors and more tiny particles in the air (“summer smog”).
  • An increase in infectious diseases that are spread by mosquitoes and ticks. This is because the temperatures are higher in colder months, too, and because it’s warmer in regions that used to be too cold for these animals. As a result, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease could become more common in central and northern Germany in the future. Dengue fever, the Zika and West Nile (all carried by mosquitoes) could also begin to spread here.
  • More frequent and more severe and allergies: Warmer temperatures throughout the year change the biology of pollen, especially in combination with air pollution from exhaust gases. Trees and other plants now blossom earlier and for longer, and they make a bigger amount of more aggressive pollen.
  • A greater strain on people with metabolic diseases such as diabetes, also because blood sugar can fluctuate more strongly.
  • More problems during pregnancy, like a premature birth and a low birth weight.
  • Psychological distress from extreme weather events can lead to things like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety disorders. Heat can make psychological disorders worse and increase aggressive behavior. Worries about the effects of climate change can also be distressing.
  • Skin irritations and infections when swimming in lakes and oceans from and algae that are increasing due to warmer water temperatures.

What can be done to limit further health problems related to climate change?

As part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, almost all nations committed to keeping global warming significantly below 2°C (35.6°F) and, where possible, not above 1.5°C (34.7°F). To achieve that, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted worldwide has to be reduced quickly and drastically.

The main aim of measures to tackle climate change is to limit global warming. But they also offer opportunities to improve our quality of life. The necessary changes in daily life can have considerable health benefits for us, including the following:

  • Using less fossil fuel in the energy and transport sectors will reduce air pollution and the related health problems.
  • Cleaner air and more exercise thanks to attractive footpaths and cycle lanes can prevent diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.
  • Less road traffic noise reduces chronic noise pollution and the possible health problems associated with it – such as hearing damage, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes.

Where can you find more information?

The German Federal Environment Agency offers videos explaining the greenhouse effect and other climate change topics.

The Leopoldina Academy has published a fact sheet about the causes and effects of climate change.





Augustin J, Sauerborn R, Burkart K et al. Gesundheit. In: Brasseur G, Jacob D, Schuck-Zöller S (Ed.). Klimawandel in Deutschland: Entwicklung, Folgen, Risiken und Perspektiven. Berlin: Springer; 2017. P. 138-146.

Büntgen U, Urban O, Krusic PJ et al. Recent European drought extremes beyond Common Era background variability. Nat Geosci 2021; 14(4): 190-196.

Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), Extremwetterkongress Hamburg. Was wir 2022 über das Extremwetter in Deutschland wissen: Stand der Wissenschaft zu extremen Wetterphänomenen im Klimawandel in Deutschland. 2022.

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IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.

Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies. It is written by a team of health care professionals, scientists and editors, and reviewed by external experts. You can find a detailed description of how our health information is produced and updated in our methods.

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Created on June 12, 2024

Next planned update: 2027

Publisher:

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany)

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