According to experts at an event hosted by US Senator Gary Peters in East Lansing, climate change adaptation efforts will impose substantial costs on the state of Michigan. The expert panel noted that the more frequent floods and storms and higher temperatures associated with climate change will strain physical and public health infrastructure. Epidemiologist Lorraine Cameron notes that higher heat and humidity will contribute to spreading infectious diseases, and that even modest temperature increases can significantly increase rates of hospitalization and death.

Key Takeaways:

• While investing in infrastructure may be costly in short term, it will be cheaper than to wait for a longer period.
• with temps raising, more people are being admitted to hospitals with health related heat exposure issues.
• with the intensity increasing for weather events, the aftermath results are increasing as well putting the population at risk

““As storms, heat waves, wildfires and floods increase, we expect more injuries, deaths and acute illness from contact with hazards like carbon monoxide, smoke and contaminated water,” said Lorraine Cameron, an environmental epidemiologist who leads the adaptation program at the state Department of Health and Human Services.”

Read more: https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/04/climate-change-will-strain-michigan-infrastructure-say-experts.html