Extreme heat could kill additional 11,000 Americans in 2030: White House

Heat waves, which have become more frequent and severe in recent decades due to climate change, could kill an additional 11,000 Americans during the summer of 2030, a U.S. study showed on Monday.

The report, titled The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States, also predicted that the extreme heat could cause an additional 27,000 premature deaths during the summer of 2100 compared with a 1990 baseline.

Heat waves were estimated to cause 670 to 1,300 deaths annually in the United States in recent years, according to the report released by the White House.

"Extreme heat can be expected to cause an increase in the number of premature deaths, from thousands to tens of thousands, each summer, which will outpace projected decreases in deaths from extreme cold," wrote a White House statement.

Airborne allergens will also likely increase, worsening allergy and asthma conditions. One evidence, said the report, is that ragweed pollen season is longer now in central North America, having increased by as many as 11 to 27 days between 1995 and 2011.

The report also said climate change will likely cause adverse mental health consequences, ranging from minimal stress and distress symptoms to clinical disorders, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

"The mental health impacts of extreme events, such as hurricanes, floods, and drought, can be expected to increase as more people experience the stress -- and often trauma -- of these disasters," the White House statement said.

"People with mental illness and those using medications to treat a variety of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events and extreme heat."

In addition, extreme weather and other events related to climate change will increase the risks of water-related illnesses, the exposure of food to certain pathogens and toxins, and disrupt infrastructure, including power, water, transportation, and communication systems.

The report was developed over three years by about 100 U.S. experts in climate-change science and public health, including representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Endit