Climate change poses a serious threat to public health. Many people now recognize that effects like extreme heat, storms, air pollution, and wildfires are hazardous to physical health, but fewer realize that mental health can be equally compromised by these large changes to our environment.
As the world warms, one often overlooked issue is its effects on sports and recreation. While not as life-threatening as extreme weather or as costly as droughts, climate change’s impacts on sports is something that’s becoming increasingly common.
Climate change creates new uncertainties about the spread of diseases such as the Zika virus, dengue fever, malaria, and Lyme disease. These illnesses are transmitted by insects known as vectors, including mosquitoes, ticks, and flies.