that when other elements linked to global climate change are added to the
environment of plants, CO 2 actually may impair growth. Other researchers
state that the effects of CO 2 can be either good or bad, depending on certain
other elements of the environment.
Another concern about the impact of global warming is the possible
resultant rise in diseases. For instance, serious diseases broke out in several
countries during the 1990s after extraordinary heat followed by various
extreme weather conditions, such as heavy monsoons and floods. Significant
numbers of deaths occurred worldwide, resulting from diseases such as cholera,
pulmonary hantavirus, plague, and dengue fever. Some scientists caution that
perhaps even more immediate threat of the warming trend is the rapid spread
of disease-bearing insects and pests.
6
2.1.3 AIR POLLUTION
2.1.3.1 Introduction
Air pollution can be defined as the presence of substances in air at such
concentrations, duration, and frequencies that adverse effects on the health of
living organisms and the environment may be caused. For several decades,
concerns over air-pollution problems have increased steadily since the end of
World War II, particularly in the more-developed countries. The extent to
which air pollution influences public health is shown by many air pollutionrelated episodes. One of those episodes is the widely known 4000 ‘‘excess
deaths’’ that occurred in London in 1952. Similar but less serious air-pollutionrelated injuries have also occurred in other major cities in the world, including
Osaka, Los Angeles, and New York, although the air pollutants involved were
often different from one another.
A wide range of pollutants are present in indoor and outdoor air. They
include sulfur oxides (SO x ), NO x , carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O 3 ) and
Environmental Change and Health
15
[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 15 13-30
FIGURE 2.1 Comparison of greenhouse gas emission in various countries.
Note: ‘‘Europe’’ includes France, Germany, Italy, and U.K.; ‘‘Asia’’ includes China, India, Japan,
and South Korea.
environment of plants, CO 2 actually may impair growth. Other researchers
state that the effects of CO 2 can be either good or bad, depending on certain
other elements of the environment.
Another concern about the impact of global warming is the possible
resultant rise in diseases. For instance, serious diseases broke out in several
countries during the 1990s after extraordinary heat followed by various
extreme weather conditions, such as heavy monsoons and floods. Significant
numbers of deaths occurred worldwide, resulting from diseases such as cholera,
pulmonary hantavirus, plague, and dengue fever. Some scientists caution that
perhaps even more immediate threat of the warming trend is the rapid spread
of disease-bearing insects and pests.
6
2.1.3 AIR POLLUTION
2.1.3.1 Introduction
Air pollution can be defined as the presence of substances in air at such
concentrations, duration, and frequencies that adverse effects on the health of
living organisms and the environment may be caused. For several decades,
concerns over air-pollution problems have increased steadily since the end of
World War II, particularly in the more-developed countries. The extent to
which air pollution influences public health is shown by many air pollutionrelated episodes. One of those episodes is the widely known 4000 ‘‘excess
deaths’’ that occurred in London in 1952. Similar but less serious air-pollutionrelated injuries have also occurred in other major cities in the world, including
Osaka, Los Angeles, and New York, although the air pollutants involved were
often different from one another.
A wide range of pollutants are present in indoor and outdoor air. They
include sulfur oxides (SO x ), NO x , carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O 3 ) and
Environmental Change and Health
15
[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 15 13-30
FIGURE 2.1 Comparison of greenhouse gas emission in various countries.
Note: ‘‘Europe’’ includes France, Germany, Italy, and U.K.; ‘‘Asia’’ includes China, India, Japan,
and South Korea.