This dialogue is archived with 4 entries. 
 

Comments: We should discuss how to generate more interaction on climate issues by public health and environment groups in the Americas. This could include issues of climate-related disaster management (floods, droughts) and sustainable development (economic and agricultural development). An initial focus could be on the Caribbean, building on the 2002 conference and workshop on climate and health effects in the Caribbean. The discussion could reference the final report, which will be available online in about a month.

Wednesday, May 07, 2003

Participant name: Joan Aron

Affiliation: Science Communication Studies, CRN/CHIEX

Country: USA

Comments: I'd like to participate in a discussion concerning the Earth system aspects of climate and health. How do Earth system processes affect human health, and how do we communicate this information to educators? I'm working with a NASA program called ESSE 21 - Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century - a collaborative undergraduate/graduate education program offering small grants to colleges and universities to engage a diverse interdisciplinary community of faculty and scientists in the development of courses, curricula and degree programs and sharing of learning resources focused on the fundamental understanding and application of Earth system principles for the classroom and laboratory. Climate and health issues are important human dimensions - I would like to see the ESSE 21 participants become more fully aware of resources that can help to promote these topics in the classroom, and seek examples, background information and possible collaborations with field practitioners. The next meeting of the ESSE group will be in Baltimore, MD June 10-13, 2003. All are welcome - see http://esse21.usra.edu/

Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Participant name: Martin Ruzek

Affiliation: Universities Space Research Association

Country: USA

Comments: What are the strengths and weaknesses of different methods for assessing the impact of climate on vector-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue? Some major issues are: 1) use of data on current distribution of the disease; 2) use of data on current distribution of disease vector; 3) use of models and data for climate-sensitivity of disease transmission; 4) different impacts expected from climate change, climate variability, and weather extremes.

Three possible source documents are: 1) Human Health and Climate Change in Oceania: A Risk Assessment 2002, Tony McMichael et al., published by the Commonwealth of Australia in 2003, http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/envhlth/climate ; 2) Under the Weather: Climate, Ecosystems, and Infectious Disease, published by the U.S. National Research Council in 2001 http://www.nap.edu/ [ See book review on CHIEX. ] ; 3) Ecosystem Change and Public Health: A Global Perspective (Joan Aron & Jonathan Patz, eds.), published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2001 http://www.jhupbooks.com/aron .

Thursday, May 22, 2003

Participant name: Joan Aron

Affiliation: Science Communication Studies, CRN/CHIEX

Country: USA

Comments: How can the use of climate information help to control malaria without dispersing DDT? The Stockholm Convention seeks to eliminate the use of persistent organic pollutants, such as DDT. But DDT has proven to be useful for the control of malaria vectors. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is funding the Pan American Health Organization to demonstrate sustainable alternatives to DDT for malaria control in Mexico and Central America. DDT storage is an environmental health hazard in the region since DDT can wash into national and international waters during hurricanes and earthquakes. DDT use for malaria control has been terminated in the region, but there is a possibility of reintroduction if alternative methods for malaria control are not effective. GEF is funding a related program to reduce or eliminate the use of DDT in African countries.

See http://www.gefonline.org/ and search the database with the single keyword "malaria".

Update: See Christian Science Monitor article (5/29/2003) on Push to Fund DDT in Fight Against Malaria in Africa. http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0529/p07s01-woaf.html

Friday, May 23, 2003

Participant name: Joan Aron

Affiliation: Science Communication Studies, CRN/CHIEX

Country: USA

Diagnostics and prediction of climate variability and human health impacts in the tropical Americas