Rising global temperatures are driving changes in sea level and contributing to extreme weather conditions, causing catastrophic impacts on human life and a decline in the planet’s biodiversity.
Air pollution and rising temperatures are the top two environmental factors affecting human health and wellbeing worldwide. It is estimated that 5-9 million deaths each year are linked to air pollution, and 4-6 million to non-optimal ambient temperature.
As the climate changes around us, understanding the effects on our mental and physical health is more important than ever.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 3) outline the need to understand and combat a range of factors to improve global health outcomes and address the unequal burden of disease.
Oxford researchers are examining the health impacts of pollution and air quality and using climate data to predict outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases.
They are investigating how an increase in extreme weather contributes to antimicrobial resistance, uncovering vital links between climate and mental health outcomes and developing tools to ensure our healthcare systems are sustainable.
Read how Oxford is addressing the climate crisis and the impact on global and mental health.
Learn more about the campaign: Climate and the Environment at Oxford.