Emissions other than carbon dioxide – especially contrails, which are well known to have a warming effect – are responsible for two-thirds of aviation’s climate impact. But these emissions aren’t covered by current international climate agreements and other efforts to mitigate climate change.
A new field of medicine, dubbed ‘climate cardiology,’ is necessary to “protect patients and the planet” at the same time, researchers argue in a commentary published in the journal BMJ Global Health.
Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, making storms more intense in many locations. Meanwhile, more people are moving to cities around the world. The combination of those two trends adds up to an increased risk of urban flooding.
