English Abstract Health effects of global climate change may include an
increase in: heat-related mortality and morbidity, infectious diseases,
particularly those that are vector-borne, and malnutrition and dehydration
from a threatened food and water supply. Increased exposure to ultraviolet
radiation due to depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer is anticipated
to result in an increased incidence of skin cancer and cataracts, as well as
possibly causing immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to other
diseases. Different populations, having varying levels of natural,
technical and social resources, would differ in their vulnerability to the
health impacts. Although some effects may be beneficial, most are expected
to be adverse. Health impacts in other parts of the world, with limited
resources to react to climate change, are therefore likely to be more severe
than those in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the Dutch population too will
experience the effects of climatic change in the form of, for example,
changes in skin cancer rates, increased mortality due to increasing numbers
of heatwaves and increased risk of the outbreak of certain infectious
diseases. However, as many uncertainties remain, the Dutch Programming
Committee has identified several areas as requiring the initiation and/or
continuation of the necessary research, particularly the effects of climate
change on infectious (vector) borne diseases and imrnune suppression by
increased ultraviolet radiation due to ozone depletion.
