Page 83 - DLIS402_INFORMATION_ANALYSIS_AND_REPACKAGING

Information Analysis and Repackaging

Notes

Forests play a significant role in offsetting CO emissions, the primary anthropogenic
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GHG.

The Wildlife Society (International)
The Wildlife Society has issued a position statement titled Global Climate Change and Wildlife:
Scientists throughout the world have concluded that climate research conducted in the past two
decades definitively shows that rapid worldwide climate change occurred in the 20th century, and
will likely continue to occur for decades to come. Although climates have varied dramatically since
the earth was formed, few scientists question the role of humans in exacerbating recent climate
change through the emission of greenhouse gases. The critical issue is no longer “if” climate change
is occurring, but rather how to address its effects on wildlife and wildlife habitats.
The statement goes on to assert that “evidence is accumulating that wildlife and wildlife habitats
have been and will continue to be significantly affected by ongoing large-scale rapid climate change.”
The statement concludes with a call for “reduction in anthropogenic (human-caused) sources of
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global climate change and the
conservation of CO —consuming photosynthesizers (i.e., plants).”
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American Academy of Pediatrics
In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued the policy statement Global Climate Change
and Children’s Health:
There is broad scientific consensus that Earth’s climate is warming rapidly and at an accelerating
rate. Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, are very likely (>90% probability) to be
the main cause of this warming. Climate-sensitive changes in ecosystems are already being observed,
and fundamental, potentially irreversible, ecological changes may occur in the coming decades.
Conservative environmental estimates of the impact of climate changes that are already in process
indicate that they will result in numerous health effects to children.
Anticipated direct health consequences of climate change include injury and death from extreme
weather events and natural disasters, increases in climate-sensitive infectious diseases, increases in
air pollution–related illness, and more heat-related, potentially fatal, illness. Within all of these
categories, children have increased vulnerability compared with other groups.
American College of Preventive Medicine
In 2006, the American College of Preventive Medicine issued a policy statement on “Abrupt Climate
Change and Public Health Implications”:
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) accept the position that global warming
and climate change is occurring, that there is potential for abrupt climate change, and that human
practices that increase greenhouse gases exacerbate the problem, and that the public health
consequences may be severe.
American Medical Association
In 2008, the American Medical Association issued a policy statement on global climate change
declaring that they:
Support the findings of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which states
that the Earth is undergoing adverse global climate change and that these changes will negatively
affect public health.
Support educating the medical community on the potential adverse public health effects of global
climate change, including topics such as population displacement, flooding, infectious and vector-
borne diseases, and healthy water supplies.

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