Heat-waves: risk and responses
Health and Global Environmental Change S E R I E S, No. 2
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
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ISBN 92 890 1094 0
Health and Global Environmental Change SERIES, No. 2
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Heat-waves: risks and responses
Health and Global Environmental Change S E R I E S, No. 2
Heat-waves: risks and responses Lead authors:
Contributing authors:
Christina Koppe, Sari Kovats, Gerd Jendritzky and Bettina Menne
Jürgen Baumüller, Arieh Bitan, Julio Díaz Jiménez, Kristie L. Ebi, George Havenith, César López Santiago, Paola Michelozzi, Fergus Nicol, Andreas Matzarakis, Glenn McGregor, Paulo Jorge Nogueira, Scott Sheridan and Tanja Wolf
Abstract High air temperatures can affect human health and lead to additional deaths even under current climatic conditions. Heatwaves occur infrequently in Europe and can significantly affect human health, as witnessed in summer 2003. This report reviews current knowledge about the effects of heat-waves, including the physiological aspects of heat illness and epidemiological studies on excess mortality, and makes recommendations for preventive action. Measures for reducing heatrelated mortality and morbidity include heat health warning systems and appropriate urban planning and housing design. More heat health warnings systems need to be implemented in European countries. This requires good coordination between health and meteorological agencies and the development of appropriate targeted advice and intervention measures. More long-term planning is required to alter urban bioclimates and reduce urban heat islands in summer. Appropriate building design should keep indoor temperatures comfortable without using energy-intensive space cooling. As heat-waves are likely to increase in frequency because of global climate change, the most effective interventions, measures and policies to protect the health of vulnerable Europeans need to be developed and evaluated.
Keywords CLIMATE GREENHOUSE EFFECTS HEAT STROKE - prevention and control RISK ASSESSMENT RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING CITY PLANNING
Text editing: David J Breuer Design and layout: Emilio Dotto EDB&RDB Cover design: Elis Martinelli Printed by: Colombo Address requests about publications of the WHO Regional Office to: • by e-mail
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