Over the last few years, the Brazilian state of Pará has faced extreme weather, with droughts and dry spells occurring between 2023 and 2024. These conditions have led to an uptick in fires and health issues, particularly smoke exposure for residents seeking treatment at local health facilities.
Roberta Souza, director of the Environmental and Occupational Health Surveillance at Pará’s Health Secretariat, pointed out the struggle in tracking health effects linked to environmental conditions. “While nebulization treatments increased during the fires, there were no recorded cases of smoke inhalation poisoning in our public systems. This highlights a major gap in how health issues connect to environmental factors,” she explained.
At a recent event on “one health,” aimed at bridging connections between human, animal, ecosystem, and environmental health, Souza emphasized the need for a comprehensive understanding of how different health aspects relate to climate change. This reflects a growing trend at UN climate conferences: recognizing climate change as a top public health threat. Paulo Artaxo, a physics professor at the University of São Paulo, reiterated this point, stating the integration of human life with the planet’s health is crucial. “A 4°C rise in temperature in Belém will impact people more drastically than the same rise in developed cities,” he noted.
Statistics indicate that Belém holds the record for the most heat waves in Brazil. Projections show that by 2024, residents could suffer severe heat stress for up to five months. This issue is worsened by the heat island effect, where urban areas are significantly hotter than surrounding natural spaces. Surprisingly, Belém, despite being the gateway to the Amazon, has low vegetation cover. Research by Paulo Rógenes Monteiro Pontes emphasizes efforts to improve tree cover in the city could enhance residents’ well-being and lower heat effects.
Research under Jean Paul Metzger reveals that increasing urban forest cover by just 10% can reduce hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases significantly. This shows that urban greenery can have direct health benefits, particularly in coping with environmental changes.
The ocean also plays a role in health, according to Alexander Turra, from the Oceanographic Institute at USP. His studies show that ocean imagery can evoke positive feelings, emphasizing the connection between natural environments and mental health.
Experts like Gilberto Jannuzzi argue that cities must adapt to climate impacts rather than follow outdated designs suited to cooler areas. Urban planning needs a rethink, considering climate-resilient materials and strategies tailored to local conditions.
Antônio Mauro Saraiva stresses that the economy should focus more on innovation and purpose. He advocates for the private sector’s role in this transformation. Furthermore, Luiz Aragão highlights the necessity of improving climate disaster warning systems in Brazil, stating the importance of moving from reactive measures to proactive strategies that can help mitigate future events.
Marco Antônio Zago, the president of FAPESP, expressed pride in the contributions of researchers at COP30. He highlighted the importance of scientific collaboration in gathering insights, not just for diplomacy but for understanding the pressing issues of climate and health that communities face today.
