Extreme Weather Events and Public Health Responses

In February 2004, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Environment Agency organized an expert meeting to exchange information and develop recommendations on public health and environmental responses to weather and climate extremes, floods, heat-waves and cold spells. The meeting was kindly hosted by the Ministry of Health of Slovakia. The meeting recommendations were adopted at the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Budapest, Hungary, 2004.

This book reflects a collection of case studies and experiences of experts, ministries and international organizations. It gives an overview of various topics, such as:

• Will climate change alter climate variability?

• The 2003 European heat-wave

• The health impacts of temperature extremes

• Public health responses to temperature extremes

• The health impacts of floods

• Case studies on health system responses to extreme events

Zusammenfassung
on the environment and actively to reduce the burden of mortality and disease on human populations and ecosystems. T ere is no time for complacency. Actions must be taken urgently to protect the environment of Europe and assure the health of its citizens. 1 Executive Director, European Environment Agency 2 Director, Special Programme on Health and Environment, WHO Regional Of ce for Europe 00_weather 00_weather events_neu. indd XVIII events_neu. indd XVIII 22. 06. 2005 22. 06. 2005 13:01:07 13:01:07 Editorial Si le respect de l´homme est fondé dans le cur des hommes, les hommes f niront bien par fonder en retour le système social, politique ou économique qui consacrera ce respect Lettre à un otage, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry T e global climate is changing. During the last 100 years warming has been observed in all continents with an average increase of 0. 6 ± 0. 2 °C (man ± SD) in the course of the 20th century. T e greatest temperature changes occurred at middle and high latitudes in the northern hemispheres. T e trend towards warmer average surface temperatures for the period since 1976 is roughly three times that of the past 100 years as a whole. In the last decades warming seems to be attributable to human activities (man-made environmental changes) like land-use changes, deforestation, urbanisation and the reduction of wetlands. Global climate change is likely to be accompanied by an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Inhalt

1. The Climate Dilemma A. Navarra 2. Projected Changes in Extreme Weather and Climate Events in Europe? G.R. McGregor, D. Stephenson, C. Ferro 3. Is the Frequency and Intensity of Flooding Changing in Europe Z.W. Kundzewicz 4. Bio-climatological Aspects of Summer 2003 Over France J.-C. Cohen, J.-M. Veysseire, P. Bessemoulin 5. Improving Public Health Responses to Extreme Weather Events K. L. Ebi 6. Cold Extremes and Impacts on Health J. Hassi 7. Temperature Regulation, Heat Balance and Climatic Stress G. Havenith 8. Health Impact of the 2003 Heat Wave in France S. Vandentorren, P. Empereur-Bissonnet 9. Portugal, Summer 2003 Mortality: the Heat Waves Influence R. Calado, J. Botelho, Judite Catarino, M. Carreira 10. The Effects of Temperature and Heat Waves on Daily Mortality in Budapest, Hungary, 1970 2000 A. Paldy, J. Bobvos, A. Vámos, S. Kovats, S. Hajat 11. Epidemiologic Study of Mortality During Summer 2003 in Italian Regional Capitals: Results of a Rapid Survey S. Conti, G. Minelli, R. Solimini, V. Toccaceli, M. Vichi, C. Beltrano, L. Perini 12. Heat Waves in Italy: Cause Specific Mortality and the Role of Educational Level and Socio-Economic Conditions P. Michelozzi, F. de'Donato, L. Bisanti, A. Russo, E. Cadum, M. DeMaria, M. D'Ovidio, G. Costa, C.A. Perucci Response to Temperature Extremes 13. Lessons of the 2003 Heat Wave in France and Action Taken to Limit the Effects of Future Heat Waves T. Michelon,P. Magne, F. Simon-Delavelle 14. Examples of Heat Health Warning Systems: Lisbon's ÍCARO's Surveillance System, Summer of 2003 P.J. Nogueira 15. Lessons from the Heat Wave Epidemic in France (Summer 2003) L. Abenhaim 16. How Toronto and Montreal (Canada) Respond to Heat T. Kosatsky, N. King, B. Henry Flooding: The Impacts on Human Health 17. Lessons to be Learned from the 2002 Floods in Dresden, Germany D. Meusel, W. Kirch 18. The Human Health Consequences of Flooding in Europe: A Review S. Hajat, K. L Ebi, S. Kovats, B. Menne, S. Edwards, A. Haines 19. Mortality in Flood Disasters Z.W. Kundzewicz, W.J. Kundzewicz 20. Key Policy Implications of the Health Effects of Floods E. Penning-Rowsell, S. Tapsell, T. Wilson 21. Learning from Experience: Evolving Responses to Flooding Events in the United Kingdom M. McKenzie Hedger National Case-Studies on Health Care System Responses to Extreme Weather Events 22. Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria for the Period 20012003 and Responses to Address Them R. Chakurova, L. Ivanov 23. 2002 A Year of Calamities The Romanian Experience A. Cristea 24. A System of Medical Service to assist the Population of Uzbekistan in the Case of Natural Catastrophes A.A. Khadjibayev, E. Borisova 25. Moscow Smog of Summer 2002. Evaluation of Adverse Health Effects V. Kislitsin, S. Novikov, N.