Global Warming Exacerbating Allergies

Many people have observed that hay fever seems to be on the rise across much of the country. It seems that global warming may be at least partly to blame. The Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment, a report released last week by the Union of Concerned Scientists and more than 50 scientists and economists, pointed out that the excess CO2 now in the atmosphere stimulates the allergy-inducing ragweed to produce 60 percent more pollen. Scientists believe there was more ragweed than ever in the Northeast last year. Plus, climate change means allergy season can last longer. The problem is nothing to sniff at, since hay fever strikes 20 percent of adults and up to 40 percent of children, and is responsible for 16.7 million doctor visits a year. Air quality continues to be a major concern across the world, responsible for thousands of deaths a year and millions of dollars of lost productivity. The fact that worsening air is linked to global warming is alarming, and one more reason to act to avert the worst effects of climate change. Ragweed is just one species that is getting out of balance. How many more, with potentially even more dire consequences, will there be?

Learn about things you can do to decrease your contribution to climate change here.

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