Category: RT Newswire

News release
George Mason University

STUDY SHOWS MOST HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS SEE
CLIMATE CHANGE AS LOOMING HEALTH THREAT
http://eagle.gmu.edu/newsroom/display.php?rid=696&keywords=

FAIRFAX, Va. – A new study from George Mason
University reveals that while a majority of U.S.
health department directors believe their city or
county will have serious public health problems
as a result of climate change within the next 20
years, very few of them have planned or
implemented activities to detect, prevent or
adapt to these health threats.

Edward Maibach, professor and director of the
Center for Climate Change Communication and lead
author of the study, wanted to understand how
directors of local public health departments
view, and are responding to, climate change as a
public health issue.

“Relatively few Americans, businesses and
policymakers are aware of the consequences that
climate change is likely to have on the health of
our communities, families and children,” says
Maibach. “Our research shows that most, if not
all, local health departments are going to
require assistance in making climate change
adaptation and prevention a priority and must
take action now to ensure climate change does not
become an increasing global threat.”

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July 25, 2008

 Please read the following urgent appeal for support for the victims
 of heavy rains in eastern Guatemala, particularly La Union Zacapa, a
 Chorti Maya region near the border with Honduras. Over the past couple
 days, dozens of people have been killed by mudslides, immense damage
 has been done to crops and homes. Thousands have fled their houses,
 and are without food or homes. The rains continue with no sign of
 stopping.

 After several years straight of unusual rains, scientist have
 confirmed what Guatemalans suspected, this is not ‘normal’ weather,
 it is the result of global warming. This morning the first truck full
 of food for the shelters, sent by Rights Action through the
 Coordinator of Chorti Organizations, COMUNDICH, is reaching La Union.
 But when the rains finally stop, there will be a long hard road to
 recovery.

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Worldwide, the media – especially the print media
– have been coming seriously awake to climate
change in just the past few years. Newspapers
I’ve noticed giving increased coverage to
climate-driven changes include Gulf Times (Qtar),
the Tehran Times (Iran), the Bangkok Post
(Thailand), the Jarkarta Post (Malaysia), and
others around the globe.

The deference to debunkers/deniers so common
until 2007 is all but gone,  the timidness about
reporting scenarios out toward the worst case end
of the spectrum has been going, and I think that
the new frankness in the media is helping the
conservation community proceed with a frankness
of its own.

Until very recently, the British press has
generally been ahead of the pack. But the world,
including the US, is catching up fast. And, tough
as life there is, the article below shows how
candid the discussion is becoming in Africa too.
Lance

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“The most recent report from the International
Panel on Climate Change says yields from rain-fed
agriculture in Africa could decrease by 50% by
2020 due to global warming, and the continent
would also be plagued by worse fires and more
pests and diseases.”

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