Exeter-led research shows polar climate shifts could put global health at risk

According to a new international study led by scientists at the University of Exeter, rapid changes in the Arctic and Antarctic could have serious consequences for global health. 

The research, published in Ambio: A Journal of Environment and Society, warns that the impacts of polar climate change are likely to increase rates of disease, malnutrition, pregnancy complications and mental health challenges across the world.

The study, led by Professor Gail Whiteman from the University of Exeter Business School, presents a new framework mapping how polar changes amplify health risks far beyond the Arctic and Antarctic. 

Researchers reviewed more than 70,000 scientific papers across climate science and public health, finding that existing health models underestimate the effects of polar warming on populations worldwide.

READ NEXT: Exeter road closure extended as works hit fresh delay

According to the findings, weakening jet streams and shifting ocean currents could increase extreme weather events, leading to higher rates of injury, fatalities and stress-related illnesses. 

Sea level rise and flooding could contaminate drinking water and spread diseases such as cholera and typhoid, while warmer conditions are allowing tropical diseases like dengue fever and Lyme disease to move north.

The research also warns that melting permafrost could release long-trapped pollutants and even ancient pathogens, while ocean changes are already threatening food security in northern communities.

“Polar change is not a distant crisis,” said Netra Naik, Research Fellow at Arctic Basecamp and lead author of the paper.

 “The effects of melting ice and changing polar systems reach far beyond the Arctic, influencing food supply, disease spread, and health infrastructure worldwide.”

Professor Whiteman, Hoffmann Impact Professor for Accelerating Action on Nature and Climate at Exeter, said the findings show an urgent need to include polar climate risks in global health policy.

Following this, Professor Whiteman said: “Ignoring these potential drivers of disease and death is not an option. We need stronger collaboration between climate scientists, health experts and policymakers to prepare our systems for the challenges ahead.”

The project is part of a collaboration between the University of Exeter, Arctic Basecamp, and the World Economic Forum, funded by the Wellcome Trust, which explores how polar tipping points could reshape global health and healthcare systems.