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Climate Change affects directly human health, women differently than men. In some cases more women are affected than men, in some other cases women are more severely affected. The effects of climate change on womens and mens health are different in countries of the North, than in those of the South. Main aspects in general are: temperatur-related morbidity and mortality, health effects of extreme weather events, air pollution-related health effects, health effects of water- and food-borne contamination, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, and health effects of exposure to ultraviolet rays.
An estimated 150,000 deaths were caused in the year 2000 due to climate change. A further 5.5 million healthy years of life were lost worldwide due to debilitating diseases caused by climate change“, revealed a study carried out by WHO in December of 2003. „"In Europe this past summer, for example, an estimated 20,000 people died due to extremely hot temperatures." (REUTER, 15.12.2003) During heat waves, excess mortality is greatest in the elderly and women. (see WHO 2003 p.88, and Röhr et.al. 2004 p.48).