The Basis of This Statement

The basis of this statement comes from the belief that climate change has actually had a positive impact on human health, by reducing cold-related deaths, which some argue are more dangerous than heat-related ones. Some also distrust climate change policies, viewing them as a bigger threat to humanity than climate change itself. They argue that issues like malnutrition and heart disease are unfairly blamed on climate change, despite these problems existing long before the recent warming trends. 

Who is Making This Argument?

The people making this statement are mostly climate change skeptics and deniers, including policy institutes such as The Heartland Institute and media outlets like Fox News and The Daily Caller. Websites like Climate Realism also promote this view by “fact-checking” what they call climate alarmism. For the most part, these sources come from more conservative or anti-climate action viewpoints. Meanwhile, most people recognize that climate change is real and will impact human health, even if they don’t fully understand the details.

The Scientific Communities Response

The scientific community strongly disagrees with this claim. There is a extensive amount of research that climate change is already affecting human health and will continue to do so. Many peer-reviewed studies and global health organizations have discussed the adverse effects of climate change on health, including increased heat-related illnesses, respiratory diseases, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. These sources also reiterate the reality of climate change and its extreme consequences on ecosystems and human health.

Here is part of a chart from one of the credible scientific sources I found discussing adverse and beneficial effects of climate change:

Here is a flowchart from another source regarding the same topics:

Conclusion

After reviewing the evidence, it is clear that while most people acknowledge climate change, there can be confusion about its impacts on human health. The strongest arguments for this statement come from climate change deniers or extreme sources that just reject the science. Reliable and credible sources overwhelmingly support the idea that climate change negatively affects human health. Although there may be a few current benefits, such as fewer cold-related deaths, these advantages are likely to diminish as the planet continues to warm, with adverse effects far outweighing the beneficial effects. 

These extreme anti-climate change sources are misleading and often claim to “fact-check” legitimate scientists and organizations like NASA. It’s crucial to recognize which sources are credible and which aren’t. If you have any thoughts or questions about climate change, feel free to leave a comment below. And don’t forget to like this post and subscribe for updates on future content. Thanks so much for reading!

References

Haines, A., Kovats, R. S., Campbell-Lendrum, D., & Corvalan, C. (2006). Climate change and human health: Impacts, vulnerability, and mitigation. The Lancet, 367(9528), 2101-2109. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68079-3
Available at: PIIS0140-6736(06)68079-3

McMichael, A. J., & Lindgren, E. (1995). Climate change: Present and future risks to health, and necessary responses. Acta Paediatrica, 84(409), 70–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02125644
Available at: BF02125644

Lieber, M. (2014). Climate change and health: A future challenge for health promotion. Journal of Health Communication, 19(9), 1083-1097. https://doi.org/10.1080/10590501.2014.941279
Available at: DOI:10.1080/10590501.2014.941279

Bydlak, S. (2023, June 14). Climate alarmism, not climate change, is an existential threat to humanity. The Heartland Institute. https://heartland.org/opinion/climate-alarmism-not-climate-change-is-an-existential-threat-to-humanity/

Taylor, J. (2024, February 6). The next big climate scare: Counting climate change deaths. The Heartland Institute. https://heartland.org/opinion/the-next-big-climate-scare-counting-climate-change-deaths/

Climate fact check: August 2024 edition. (2024, September 5). Climate Realism. https://climaterealism.com/2024/09/climate-fact-check-august-2024-edition/