Unit 1 Reflection: Climate Change and Environmental Health

Your job this week is to complete the Unit 1 Reflection on Climate Change. Make sure to include data that support your argument. For example, if you want to say that the temperature in some regions has been increasing – find out how much it has increased (this make take a Google search).

Here are some heat/Health related articles I’ve seen recently:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/03/us/excessive-heat-wave-forecast-texas-california.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/31/world/asia/pakistan-india-heat-wave.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/29/world/asia/india-delhi-hottest-day-ever.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/28/climate/extreme-heat-worldwide.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/video/climate/100000009912640/weve-breached-a-key-limit-for-global-warming-now-what.html?smid=url-shareLinks to an external site.

All students have access to the NYT for free. See the “Student Resources” tab to the left.

This topic is closed for comments.

MICR 3502 ONL Spring 2026

Unit 1 Reflection

Case Study 1.1 in your book states: ” Climate change is the most pressing environmental health issue for the 21st century.”

In what way, or ways, will climate change impact environmental health in the 21st century?

Find three examples from the sources below (or other sources you find) and provide data that support each using the “Explore Our Data.” Data can include statistics about trends in environmental or health measures (e.g. disease rates, crop production, etc.). You should include a graphic for each measure. Provide a short paragraph for each example, that summarizes, in your own words, the data presented. I’ve provided an example of one below.

Explore our data. https://lancetcountdown.org/explore-our-data/Links to an external site.

References must be cited correctly.

Resources: You may use these resources or find your own.

The 2024 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change https://lancetcountdown.org/2024-report/Links to an external site.

The full report is long, but the webpage is very well organized for specific topics.

Citation for the 2024 report.

Romanello, Marina, et al. 2024. The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: facing record-breaking threats from delayed action. The Lancet, Volume 404, Issue 10465, 1847 – 1896. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01822-1Links to an external site.

Explore our data. https://lancetcountdown.org/explore-our-data/Links to an external site.

Other resources:

American Society for Microbiology: Climate ChangeLinks to an external site.

Mora C, McKenzie T, Gaw IM, Dean JM, von Hammerstein H, Knudson TA, Setter RO, Smith CZ, Webster KM, Patz JA, Franklin EC (2022) Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change. Nature Climate Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01426-1Links to an external site.

. Traceable evidence of the impacts of climate change on pathogenic human diseasesLinks to an external site.

Example:

Example of an Environmental Health impact of Climate Change:

One way that climate change might impact environmental health is through deaths due to air pollution. Climate change is driven by anthropogenic production of greenhouse gasses. However, those same sources produce air pollution, especially particulate matter less than 2.5 micro-meters (PM2.5). This graphic shows that mortality due PM2.5 in different income regions. Mortality due to biomass burning is much higher in low-income regions than in high income areas, but mortalities due to air pollution caused by industry, transportation, and agriculture are more important in high and very-high income countries. Interestingly, coal burning is a major source of air pollution in medium-income countries and lower in high and very-high regions. This may be due to use of other sources of energy for electricity (solar, wind, nuclear, etc.) or cleaner coal burning technologies. Also interesting, is the overall decrease in air-pollution related mortality (decreased 6.9%) between 2016 and 2019, mostly in higher income countries, and which appears to be related to a decrease in coal-based power plants.

Romanello, Marina, et al. 2024. The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: facing record-breaking threats from delayed action. The Lancet, Volume 404, Issue 10465, 1847 – 1896. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01822-1Links to an external site.

Unit 1 Reflection Rubric

Unit 1 Reflection RubricCriteriaRatingsPtsExamples

view longer description

10 to >8 pts

Meets expectations

Three different examples are provided

8 to >6 pts

Approaching expectations

6 to >0 pts

Below expectations

/ 10 pts

Supports Each Example with data

15 to >12 pts

Meets expectations

Data are appropriate and match the example

12 to >9 pts

Approaching expectations

9 to >0 pts

Below expectations

/ 15 pts

Explains the data

20 to >17 pts

Meets expectations

Data are explained clearly and in own words. Explanations are specific and limited to the data provided.

17 to >9 pts

Approaching expectations

9 to >0 pts

No Marks

/ 20 pts

Cites resources correctly

5 to >4 pts

All of the time

4 to >2 pts

most of the time

2 to >0 pts

none of the time

/ 5 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Sustainability

view longer description

threshold: 45 pts

Exceeds Expectations

4 pts

Meets expectations

3 pts

Approaching Expectations

2 pts

Below expectations

0 pts

Not demonstrated

This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome

Impact of Microbes

view longer description

threshold: 45 pts

Exceeds Expectations

4 pts

Meets Expectations

3 pts

Approaching Expectations

2 pts

Developing

1 pts

Does Not Meet Expectations

0 pts

Not observed

Total Points: 0

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