The Impact of Climate Change on Gastrointestinal Health

Abstract

Climate change is a major human health threat.¹ Our planet is in danger, and climate change is already happening with serious effects on our health.² The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that the world must limit temperature rise to 1.5°C to avoid catastrophic health impacts of climate change. To meet this goal, it is required that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions be reduced by half by 2030 and achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 but current global efforts are not sufficient to reach this goal.^3,4,5 The consequences of climate change on our health may be multifaceted, complex, and challenging, however, the evidence for climate change and its impact on gastrointestinal (GI) health is in its infancy.