Summary: This paper reviews existing evidence on the health and wellbeing impacts of climate change in South Africa, covering a wide range of direct and indirect pathways, including heat-related illness, changing patterns of infectious disease, food and water insecurity, and the mental health consequences of drought, flooding and displacement. The authors highlight South Africa's particular vulnerability given existing socioeconomic inequality, informal settlement housing conditions, and reliance on rain-fed agriculture, arguing that climate change is likely to exacerbate existing health disparities rooted in the country's history. The potential impacts of climate change on mental health are considered as part of this broader review.
Impacts of climate change on health and wellbeing in South Africa
2018
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Summary: This paper reviews existing evidence on the health and wellbeing impacts of climate change in South Africa, covering a wide range of direct and indirect pathways, including heat-related illness, changing patterns of infectious disease, food and water insecurity, and the mental health consequences of drought, flooding and displacement. The authors highlight South Africa's particular vulnerability given existing socioeconomic inequality, informal settlement housing conditions, and reliance on rain-fed agriculture, arguing that climate change is likely to exacerbate existing health disparities rooted in the country's history. The potential impacts of climate change on mental health are considered as part of this broader review.
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