[afro-nets] Climate Change Linked to Rise in Malaria

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

Climate Change Linked to Rise in Malaria
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NEW YORK - Climate change may promote the spread of deadly dis-
eases like malaria in poor countries by increasing the range of
parasitic insects.

As climates warm, malaria is becoming more common in the tradi-
tionally cool mountains of Africa, Asia and Latin America where
10 percent of the world's people live.

Colonizers escaped (to mountainous areas) to avoid the swamps
that bred malaria. Those areas are no longer safe. Malaria cases
have quadrupled in the past 10 years and kill 3,000 African ba-
bies a day.

The report warned that "malaria could suddenly swell in devel-
oped nations, especially in those areas now bordering the mar-
gins of current transmission."

Scientists believe greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide
(CO2) released by cars and utilities burning fossil fuels, lead
to climate change by trapping the sun's heat in the atmosphere.
That can lead to rising seas that may cause flooding and
stronger storms.

Rising temperatures increase the range of the mosquitoes and
ticks that carry maladies like malaria, West Nile virus and Lyme
disease.

Companies can lessen risks by joining markets that trade green-
house gases and by broadening their energy palate from coal and
oil to alternatives such as wind and solar power, and possibly,
nuclear and hydrogen power.

President Bush dropped out of Kyoto Protocol on climate change
early in his first term.

The agreement created a carbon dioxide market in Europe that al-
lows companies that chose not to cut their greenhouse gases to
buy credits from companies that have.

The United Nations will hold climate talks later this month in
Montreal in which countries including the United States will
discuss how to proceed with the Kyoto Protocol.

Source: Reuters