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Climate Change Stressor Assignment

Step-1: Choose ANY one of the following Climate Change stressor listed in Table 1. The same general topic in step-1 can be chosen by multiple groups, but the final topic focus should be different enough (see steps 2 & 3). However, you can also develop your own topic following the same thinking process as outlined in this assignment. Must get approval of new topic from instructor before proceeding.

Topics

1. Health & environmental impact from sea level rise or coastal flooding (ex: water quality, salt water intrusion, population displacement)
2. Heat related illnesses due to extreme heat events
3. Increase in extent and  severity of wildfires (a) health or (b) environmental effects from particulate matter air pollution
4. Increase in severe weather  a) effects from natural disaster. b)water quality effects (ex: drinking water)
5. Health & environmental impact from sea level rise or coastal flooding (ex: water quality, salt water intrusion, population displacement)
6. Impact from vector-borne diseases from changes in precipitation patterns
7. Changes in water availability and water scarcity from increase in drought
8. Effects of flooding from extreme precipitation (disaster issues, water borne diseases)
9. Health and environmental effects from ozone related air pollution due to increase in hot sunny days
10. Health and environmental impact from changes in growing season (crop & agriculture, malnutrition)
11. Health and ecological effects from reduced snow/sea ice/permafrost
12. Increase in allergens (effects on asthma)
13. Change in mosquito ecology leading to increase in vector-borne disease e.g. Zika, dengue chikungunya, malaria, yellow fever
14. Change in rodent ecology (ex: hantavirus) leading to an change in vector-borne disease
15. Increase in hazardous algal blooms (ex: effects from acute inhalation or ingestion or risks to fishing/aquaculture)
16. Health and environmental effects from increased fossil-fuel based energy production

Step 2 (IMPORTANT) Specifically focus your topic to at least ONE public health effect or disease

Example:

• increased risk for malaria
• increase in asthma

Step 3: (IMPORTANT) Choose ONE geographic region or Country or area/location.

Example:

• Higher elevations of Mt. Kilimanjaro
• Coastal southeast US
• Bangladesh
• Sub-saharan Africa
• South Sudan

Step 4: Identify the underlying climatic CAUSE(S) of this problem and list the pathway(s) leading to this problem. See “Pathway Diagram Example” that is included as an EXAMPLE.