Climate change and human health linkages in the context of globalization: An overview from global to southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh

Natural disasters, livelihood, and healthcare challenges of the people of a riverine island in Bangladesh: A mixed-method exploration

BACKGROUND

Bangladesh's islands, because of their geographical location, frequently encounter crises like floods and river erosion, which pose significant threats to the residents' well-being and livelihoods. To delve into the effects of these disasters on livelihood and healthcare challenges, a mixed-method study was undertaken in a riverine-island near a major river of Bangladesh.

METHODOLOGY

Between February 15th and February 28th, 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted on an island in Bangladesh. The quantitative method involved conducting a survey of 442 households, with a total of 2921 participants. Additionally, 10 in-depth interviews and 10 key-informant interviews were conducted using semi-structured guidelines. Qualitative interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis. Triangulation was employed in this study through the integration of qualitative and quantitative analysis, resulting in the presentation of findings that offer an in-depth comprehension of the phenomenon being investigated.

RESULTS

River erosions and floods are common and recurring natural disasters that significantly impact the lives of the riverine island inhabitants. These disasters often disrupted their livelihoods, forced many residents to endure substandard living conditions or relocated during flood events. The island faced a low diagnostic prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g., 5.1% of adults were hypertension and 2.5% are diabetes) because of the absence of diagnostic facilities and a shortage of certified doctors. A significant number of chronic illness people in the community turned to alternative medicine sources (39.3%) such as homeopathy, Kabiraj, and Ayurvedic medicine, especially it gets increased during periods of natural disasters. Moreover, reproductive aged women revealed that 79.4% of them gave birth at home, with 6.0% of these home deliveries resulting in miscarriage or infant death. The destruction of crops, unstable job opportunities, an inadequate educational system, and a deficient healthcare delivery system exacerbated the hardships faced by the population affected by these disasters.

CONCLUSION

The failure to seek treatment for chronic diseases and undiagnosed diseases is a significant health issue among the aging adults on the island. Island residents face the challenge of establishing effective prevention strategies for the well-being of older adults especially at the period of natural disasters. It is crucial for the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to collaborate to prevent the negative effects of floods and river erosions. This should include efforts to enhance the quality of education, healthcare services, job opportunities, and financial assistance for rebuilding homes.

How do energy prices and climate shocks affect human health? Insights from BRICS

The presented work analyzes the energy prices, climate shock, and health deprivation nexus in the BRICS economies for the period 1995-2020. Panel ARDL-PMG technique is used to reveal the underexplored linkages. The long-run estimates of energy prices are observed to be negatively significant to the health expenditure and life expectancy model, whereas, positively significant to the climate change model. These findings suggest that energy prices significantly reduce health expenditures and life expectancy and, thus, increase the death rate in the BRICS economies. The long-run country-wise estimate of energy prices is found negatively significant in case of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Alongside, the group-wise significance of CO2 emissions is discovered to be negatively, positively, and insignificant in the cases of life expectancy, death rate, and health expenditure models, respectively. Besides, country-wise long-run estimate of CO2 emissions witnesses negative significance for Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Catalytic pyrolysis for upgrading silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and carbon dioxide into flammable gases

This study proposes a sustainable hydrogen production platform using a fast-growing and inedible biomass waste, silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis). Pyrolysis of silver grass waste (SGW) was investigated using CO₂ as a co-feedstock, focusing on the distribution of hydrogen in different products. When the catalyst was absent, hydrogen element distribution to H₂ gas during pyrolysis of SGW at 800 °C reached 10 wt%. During pyrolysis with the Ni/SiO₂ catalyst, 60.3 wt% of hydrogen was converted into H₂ gas, and 7.3 wt% of hydrogen was distributed in gaseous hydrocarbons at 600 °C. Owing to the addition of CO₂, CO production was promoted by the catalytic conversion of CO₂ and volatile matter. Notably, CO₂ has been proven to be a useful reactant for producing value-added CO. Thus, catalytic pyrolysis in the presence of CO₂ can be considered as a renewable approach to produce flammable gases with the mitigation of CO₂ emissions.

Climate change impacts on the health of South Asian children and women subpopulations - A scoping review

Background and objectives

Climate change impacts are felt unequally worldwide; populations that experience geographical vulnerability, those living in small island states and densely populated coastal areas, and children and women are affected disproportionately. This scoping review aims to synthesize evidence from relevant studies centred on South Asia, identify research gaps specifically focused on children and women's health, and contribute to knowledge about South Asia's existing mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Methods

A research librarian executed the search on six databases using controlled vocabulary (e.g., MeSH, Emtree, etc.) and keywords representing the concepts “vulnerable populations” and “climate change” and “health impacts” and “South Asia.” Databases were searched from January 2010 to May 2020. Papers were screened independently by two researchers.

Results

Forty-two studies were included, of which 23 were based in India, 14 in Bangladesh, and five in other South Asian countries. Nineteen studies focused on meteorological factors as the primary exposure. In contrast, thirteen focused on extreme weather events, nine on air pollution, and one on salinity in coastal areas. Thirty-four studies focused on the health impacts on children related to extreme weather events, meteorological factors, and air pollution, while only eight studies looked at health impacts on women. Undernutrition, ARI (acute respiratory infection), diarrheal diseases, low birth weight, and premature mortality were the major health impacts attributed to extreme weather events, meteorological factors, and air pollution exposure in children and women in the region.

Conclusion

Extreme weather events, meteorological factors and air pollution have affected the health of children and women in South Asia. However, the gap in the literature across the South Asian countries concerning relationships between exposure to extreme weather events, meteorological factors, air pollution and health effects, including mental health problems in children and women, are opportunities for future work.

Effects of Self-Rated Health Status on Residents' Social-Benefit Perceptions of Urban Green Space

Urban green spaces (UGS) provide many social benefits and improves residents' wellbeing. Studying residents' perceptions of UGS's social benefits and driving factors could promote public health and environmental justice. A questionnaire survey of 432 Beijing residents and statistical tests assessed the impacts of residents' living environments and self-rated health status on UGS perceptions. The results showed: (1) perceptions of UGS' physical health benefits were subdued, with an inclination towards other social benefits. Respondents more highly perceived accelerating patient recovery and reducing morbidity and mortality rates. Perceptions of bearing larger-head babies with higher weight were relatively low. For other social benefits, perceptions of improving the environment and life quality were higher, but reducing anger outbursts and resolving conflicts were lower. (2) Childhood living environments did not affect perceptions of social benefits, but current living environments did. Suburb residents understood reducing pain-relief medication demands and bearing larger-head babies better than city residents. City residents understood UGS' investments considerable and sustained returns better than village residents. City residents agreed with accelerating patient recovery higher than village ones. (3) Respondents with "poor" self-rated health status had better perceptions of other social benefits. Those with "excellent" ratings did not fully understand UGS' physical health benefits. "Poor" ratings understood improving a city's image and making cities livable and sustainable better than "good" or "fair" ratings. "Excellent" ratings had less understanding of larger-head babies than "good" or "fair" ratings. The study could enhance appreciation of UGS' social benefits to facilitate planning and management to meet residents' expectations.

Financial Development and Health Outcomes: Do Financial Globalization Matter in Selected Asian Economies?

The importance of health is well documented in the development economics literature because of its increasing effects on economic growth in the long-run. Financial development and financial globalization are essential resources for health. This study examines the role of financial development and financial globalization in the rapid rise of life expectancy in China, India, and Japan by using the annual data covering the period of 1991–2019. The ARDL bounds testing approach confirm the long-run relationship between financial development, financial globalization, and life expectancy in the presence of GDP, health expenditure, and the internet. The long-run findings indicate that financial development positively affects life expectancy by 0.599% in China. The novel findings also indicate that financial globalization positively affects life expectancy by 1.247% in Japan and 1.121% in India. Our findings offer new empirical insights to policymakers crucial to improving life expectancy in China, India, and Japan.

Migration under Climate Change in Southern Africa: A Nexus Planning Perspective

Population increase is exacerbating resource insecurities due to increased demand for already depleted resources. Coupled with climate change, they are the main drivers of both intra- (rural-urban and urban-urban) and inter-migration (from one country to the other). We carried out a systematic review of literature, focusing on available options to ensure water and food security, as well as improve the socio-economic environment, highlighting the drivers of migration in southern Africa. The aim was to develop informed adaptation strategies and build resilience in the advent of accelerated migration. We developed a migration conceptual framework based on the nexus between water, food and socio-economic interlinkages. Urban areas in southern Africa are under immense pressure to accommodate climate refugees from resource stressed rural areas, a situation that is impacting on agricultural production. Most urban areas are exceeding their ecological thresholds to support the built environment, causing some socio-ecological challenges. Nexus planning can inform adaptation planning on permissible migration that are aligned with regional goals such as regional integration, poverty reduction and improved livelihoods. This would also contribute to the region’s achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, through the identification of synergies and trade-offs, nexus planning can inform regional adaptation strategies for positively managing migration leading to sustainable outcomes.