Factors by which global warming worsens allergic disease.

Increased use of fossil fuels has led to global warming with concomitant increases in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events such as wildfires and sand and dust storms. These changes have led to increases in air pollutants such as particulate matter and greenhouse gases. Global warming is also associated with increases in pollen season length and pollen concentration. Particulate matter, greenhouse gases, and pollen synergistically increase the incidence and severity of allergic diseases. Other indirect factors such as droughts, flooding, thunderstorms, heat waves, water pollution, human migration, deforestation, loss of green space, and decreasing biodiversity (including microbial diversity) also affect the incidence and severity of allergic disease. Global warming and extreme weather events are expected to increase in the coming decades, and further increases in allergic diseases are expected, exacerbating the already high health care burden associated with these diseases. There is an urgent need to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change to improve human health. Human health and planetary health are connected and the concept of One Health, which is an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and the environment needs to be emphasized. Clinicians are trusted members of the community, and they need to take a strong leadership role in educating patients on climate change and its adverse effects on human health. They also need to advocate for policy changes that decrease the use of fossil fuels and increase biodiversity and green space to enable a healthier and more sustainable future.

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Copyright © 2023 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Disclosures Dr Nadeau reports receiving grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Food Allergy Research and Education; has stock options from IgGenix, Seed Health, ClostraBio, Cour, and Alladapt; is an advisor at Cour Pharma; a consultant for Excellergy, Red tree ventures, Before Brands, Alladapt, Cour, Latitude, Regeneron, and IgGenix; the cofounder of Before Brands, Alladapt, Latitude, and IgGenix; a national scientific committee member at Immune Tolerance Network and the National Institutes of Health clinical research centers; and has patents, which include the following: “Mixed allergen composition and methods for using the same,” “Granulocyte-based methods for detecting and monitoring immune system disorders,” and “Methods and Assays for Detecting and Quantifying Pure Subpopulations of White Blood Cells in Immune System Disorders.” Ms Seastedt has no conflicts of interest to report.