Air Quality and Respiratory Disease
Air quality is highly affected by weather and climate conditions.

In turn, certain aspects of air quality are known to affect health. In particular, ozone and airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have well documented human health effects.

Climate change will increase ground level ozone in some areas and increase the burden of respiratory illnesses as a result.

Ozone is formed in warm, polluted air in the presence of sunlight. It causes direct, reversible lung injury; increases premature mortality; worsens respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and may cause lasting lung damage.

Current science suggests that climate change is likely to increase the concentration of ground-level ozone in the US…..

PM2.5s are generated by a range of sources, but primarily from the burning of fossil fuels. They are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (including asthma, COPD, and cardiac dysrhythmias) and are responsible for increased school and work absences, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions.

Current science suggests that climate change is likely to increase the concentration of ground-level ozone in the US (particularly in Northeastern, Midwestern and Western cities). Increased ozone in these areas will produce an increased burden of respiratory disease.

While of great interest, there is currently insufficient evidence to determine the likely effects of climate change on PM2.5.

Aero-allergens
Increased ambient temperatures over land and increased ground-level carbon dioxide concentrations, both of which are expected with climate change, result in increased plant metabolism and pollen production.

These factors may also be associated with increased fungal growth and spore release.

Climate change will increase allergic diseases due to pollen.

Pollen and mold spores are allergens and can aggravate allergic rhinitis and several respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, though the latter diseases have other significant triggers.

Allergic diseases are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the U.S. and impose a substantial burden on the U.S. population.

Asthma alone affects approximately 20 million Americans. Some experts have suggested that the global rise in asthma is an early health effect of climate change.

Aeroallergens act with other harmful air pollution to worsen respiratory disease. While the magnitude of climate change’s impact on allergic disease in the U.S. is yet to be determined, preliminary evidence suggests that there could be a substantial effect.