Chapter 9

Rising temperatures favor agricultural pests, diseases and disease vectors.

Pest populations are on the rise and illnesses once found only in limited, tropical areas are now becoming endemic in much wider zones.

In Southeast Asia, for example, where malaria had been reduced to a wet season only disease in most areas, it is again endemic almost everywhere year around.

Likewise, dengue fever, once largely confined to tropical areas, has become endemic to the entire region.

Increased temperatures also increase the reproduction rates of microbes and insects, speeding up the rate at which they develop resistance to control measures and drugs (a problem already observed with malaria in Southeast Asia).

Pest Generations present to 2050

climate change
(Source: CCAFS )

West Nile virus risk

climate change
(Source: Climate Confidential)
climate change
(Source: CDC)

Projected change in risk of Malaria

climate change
(Source: Global Warming – So what?)
climate change
(Source: Environmental Defense Fund)

Dengue distribution by 2050

climate change
(Source: Nature.com )

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