The future of greener respiratory prescribing

It’s ‘code red for humanity’ – the recent 2024 report from the Lancet countdown on health and climate change highlights the dire consequences humanity will face, and already is starting to see, as a result of delayed action to address climate change

The changing climate has ‘implications for human health, with more frequent heat waves and extreme weather events, changing patterns of infectious disease transmission, deterioration of food and water resources, impacts on socioeconomic conditions, and the exacerbation of existing health challenges around the world’.¹

Climate impacts weather, air and water quality amongst other factors. Climate change impact on respiratory health in particular is through directly promoting or aggravating respiratory diseases or increasing exposure to risk factors. Levels of plant pollen, allergens, mould proliferation and ground levels of particulate matter and ozone are increased due to climate change. Pollen seasons are potentially starting earlier and lasting longer, with an earlier pollen count peak and wider geospatial pollen distribution.