by Erik Van Tongerloo

Created on: April 23, 2007   Last Updated: December 08, 2009

Global warming has emerged as a real problem. Due to global warming, we've experienced an increase of the average temperature worldwide and more smog in the air. Flowers are blooming earlier in the year than usual and our climate is changing across the entire world. Humans contribute to an increase of greenhouse gases in the air and as a result have a warming effect of our earth.

A number of scientists warned us for years about the consequences of global warming. Many studies have been done and several facts are proven to support this, but they still don't know how many degrees and how fast the temperatures will rise and if it is permanent or not. One thing is sure, global warming causes several negative health effects. The change in our climate can affect us in many ways.

These are some of the significant and potential health effects which can result as a direct effect of global warming:

*Heart diseases.

People who are suffering heart diseases, asthma or any other lung diseases and older people will get more problems because their cardiovascular systems need to work harder to keep their body cool which is necessary for efficient breathing.

*Health effects caused by heat waves.

As the earth warms up, there have been several long periods of extreme high temperatures in countries which are not used to hot weather for a long time. We saw this in 2003 when 35,000 people died during the heat wave in Europe. A study done by the Hadley Center for Climate Prediction and Research in the United Kingdom showed by using computer models how greenhouse gases increased heat waves. Heatstroke and hyperthermia are the most common health effects caused by these heat waves and can be fatal if not immediately treated.

*Health effects caused by high concentration of ozone.

Air pollution is the main factor that causes ozone depletion. Ozone gases protect us against ultraviolet rays of the sun. The ozone layer is necessary for protecting us and efforts need to be done worldwide for maintaining this layer. The problem is ozone pollution which causes a high concentration in the air of ground level and is harmful for our health. This pollution is caused when sunlight combines with some gases in the air which are responsible for air pollution.

Especially older people, asthma patients or people with other lung diseases, heart sufferers and also children are at risk for these high concentrations. It is important for everyone to stay as much as possible indoors when the ozone concentration

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