Climate change is a reality. It is not something that may happen in the future. Parts of the world are already suffering from it and evidence points to an accelerating process of impacts if preventive action is not taken as a matter of urgency. A World Health Organization (WHO) report has estimated that over 150 000 people in developing countries are dying each year from the effects of global warming mostly attributable to the burning of fossil fuels.¹ This aspect of our lifestyles is adding alarmingly to levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a “greenhouse gas” which acts as a radiation blanket causing the average global temperature to rise. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts an increase of between 1.5°C and 6°C by 2100 depending on the extent of future emissions.² With such a wide temperature range, the potential influences, both negative and positive, could be considerable. There are inevitably uncertainties in climate change predictions, particularly in regard to the timing, extent, regional patterns, and health impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, it would be inappropriate to wait until there was complete scientific certainty and decisions necessarily have to be made now on the basis of the best available information. This article puts forward some thoughts on the implications for the art and science of injury control and for policy.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER SHORTAGE

Lack of access to essential resources has been identified as an important risk factor for regional and national conflict.³ Water is essential for life, whether for drinking or agriculture. Increased global temperatures will lead to increased evaporation of surface water.² In some regions this will be compensated by increases in precipitation but where precipitation is unchanged or decreased there will be less water available. Decreased …