Climate Change Facts & Effects: Global Warming Harms American Public Health Says Obama

President Obama announced on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, that the government will take steps to prepare for the life-altering effects of climate change. 

According to the International Business Times, Obama stated, "Climate change is no longer a distant threat. Its effects are felt today, and its costs can be measured in human lives." He also added, "Every person, every community and every nation has a duty to protect the health of all our children and grandchildren, and my administration is committed to leading this effort. "  

A report from the White House about the effects of climate change to the American's heath was released last year, states IBT. The report stated that asthma attacks would worsen as the ground-level ozone increases. In addition the reported stated, pollen will supposedly flourish due to climate change causing allergies to worsen as well. 

Lung and heart-related illnesses will also increase due to frequent wildfires since the AP News stated that the state of California has been suffering from prolonged droughts. Infectious diseased are also likely to spread, says the White House Report.  

Obama spoke about the U.S. government's plan to prepare for climate change at the Howard University Medical School, reports AP News. The president said, "We've got to do better in protecting our vulnerable families." You can't cordon yourself off from air." 

He revealed that Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., along with other health-related institutions have committed to helping prepare the nation against the effects climate change, states AP News.  

IBT reports that Google "pledged to donate 10 million hours" to developing tools that will seemingly warn citizens about dangers such as wild fires." In particular, the report mentions that Google's "Street View" function in camera cars will begin measuring methane emissions and natural gas leaks in certain cities. 

Meanwhile, Microsoft's research department is focused on developing a prototype drone which will gather "large quantities of mosquitoes," report AP News. The mosquitoes' genes and pathogens will be digitally analyzed. Microsoft's study will hopefully provide early warnings about infectious diseases, say the report.  

As for the White House, it will be holding a climate change and health summit later this spring, reports IBT. During the summit, Obama's administration will be expanding to the climate date initiative by including "more than 150 health-related data sets."  

AP News notes that some people are "skeptical" about Obama's decision to prepare for climate change due to the cost. However, Obama believes that spending on health now will save money in the future.