Impact of Global Warming on Asthma and Allergies
Filed in archive Asthma , Hay Fever , Living with Allergies by ruth on October 31, 2007
Defense Council report that global warming will not only intensify smog, which also worsens asthma, it will also trigger ragweed to flourish and produce more pollen through direct exposure to carbon dioxide, global warming's leading pollutant.
New maps resulting from analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) find that regions most affected by ragweed and smog substantially overlap with one another - leaving these regions particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. As global warming boosts levels of both ragweed and smog, the risk of asthma and allergic reactions for people living in these overlapping regions will likely increase.
"Our analysis reveals that there is a clear interplay between high levels of smog and ragweed that could lead to intensified reactions for both allergy and asthma sufferers," said Dr. Kim Knowlton, NRDC's global warming and health specialist. "People living in some of the most populated regions of this country may be feeling the effects of global warming every allergy season."
For further reading here are some documents for download (pdf files) from the NRDC:
- NRDC's full report (4MB)
- Fact sheet (400 KB)
- Map of Ozone and Ragweed Occurrence in the Continental United States (1.2 MB)
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