Climate change is not only accelerating the spread of diseases; it’s also threatening our ability to combat them. This growing crisis has a cascading effect on public health, not just by introducing new illnesses, but by endangering the very tools we use to treat them.
Approximately 25% of all prescribed medicines are derived from plants, including morphine (pain relief), quinine (malaria treatment), and camptothecin (a compound used in chemotherapy). Many of these plants grow in biodiverse, ecologically sensitive regions that are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As global temperatures rise, extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and wildfires become more frequent and severe, placing these natural resources at risk of extinction or drastically reducing their availability.
The consequences extend beyond environmental damage which often go unseen by those who are not localised to the disaster. For instance, waterways become contaminated and cause disease outbreaks like Cholera which spread rapidly in vulnerable communities where access to clean water, sanitation, and medical care is limited. If the plants needed to make cholera treatments are endangered or inaccessible, we face diseases like Cholera becoming untreatable.
Even if we continue to maintain supply, most medicines are manufactured in the US or India, therefore we must be prepared to overcome barriers such as tariffs and blocked transport routes which cause bottlenecks in supply chains, not only as a result of natural consequences but political decisions.
Animal-derived medicines are also at risk. Insulin, for instance, was originally extracted from the pancreas of animals before modern synthetic alternatives were developed. However, we rely on complex biological systems, sometimes involving animals. Climate change affects these systems through habitat loss, disease outbreaks in animal populations, and disruptions to the ecosystems they depend on.
It’s more important than ever to take individual responsibility for sustainability by picking up a few eco-friendly habits. Whether that be switching to reusable kitchen rolls, shopping second hand or buying local – it all helps.
Not My Monkey 