Hope for the Future

In this clip,Paul Epstein expresses hope for the future with change that will power a robust economy. Meanwhile, a movement inspired by Bill McKibben and 350.org is percolating at universities across the country as students pressure administrations to divest their endowments of fossil fuel holdings. The money quote:

“When it comes down to it, the members of the board are not the ones who are inheriting the climate problem,” said Sachie Hopkins-Hayakawa, a Swarthmore senior from Portland, Ore. “We are.”

Asthma

Increased carbon in the atmosphere and longer growing seasons have caused a spike in asthma rates over the last 30 years.

Pests and Pathogens

An explosion in pests and pathogens driven by warmer winters threatens forests and crops.

Infectious Disease

Dr. Epstein explains how climate change accelerates the spread of infectious diseases, for example the ever-expanding range of deer ticks is causing a dramatic increase in Lyme disease

The Center's Mission

Paul Epstein co-founded the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. In this video, he describes its mission to educate students, the public, professionals and law makers about health and the climate change. He touches on the center's five major areas of research: infectious disease, heat waves, respiratory disease, winter weather and (the thing that keeps him up at night) pests and pathogens.

Extreme Heat

Dr. Paul Epstein describes how heat waves are becoming increasingly lethal, citing the heat wave of 2003 that killed 50,000 people in Europe and melted 10% of the Alps. Heat waves and drought devastate crops and threaten the stability of food prices worldwide.

Wild Winter Weather

 

Dr. Paul Epstein describes how warming oceans cause wetter, heavier snow and extreme winter weather conditions.