Ancient Viruses, Dengue and More Diseases: Visitors as the World Heats up
Climate crisis accelerates dengue fever, Credit, CNN
In the past few years, dengue has steadily expanded through South America, encroaching further south to countries such as Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, while cases of the disease rose from just over half a million globally in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019, putting about 129 countries at the risk of the illness, which is endemic in over one hundred countries.
Meanwhile, the permafrost thawed at a frightening speed, since temperature rise became an accelerated phenomenon in the past 50 years, and the thaw threatens to bring back to life bacteria that have been dormant probably for up to 50,000 years, as well as viruses with potentials to evolve from infecting animals to also infecting humans.
Warmer temperatures sped up the growth cycle of the malaria parasite in the anopheles mosquito, largely blamed for about 249 million malaria cases in 2022, compared with 244 million in 2020, with the estimated number of malaria deaths standing at 608,000 in 2022, compared with 610,000 in 2021.
As warmer temperatures take place, diseases such as dengue spread through numerous countries, while illnesses like malaria increase in the human community, just as ancient bacteria and viruses prepare to make appearances, threatening to infect communities with diseases like anthrax, which rapidly expands in the northern latitudes.
For every two to ten Celsius variation in maximum temperature, dengue cases rise by 22.2 to 184.6 percent, while the minimum temperature for the same variation brings rises from 26.1 to 230.3 percent occurrence in the number of dengue cases, meaning that variable temperature provides an indication of the increasing number of the disease.
As temperatures in the Arctic thaw the region's permafrost, warming it four times faster than the rest of the world, viruses frozen in the ice come into existence again, some as old as 48,000 years, based on radiocarbon dating of the soil, the viruses still infectious after so many years.
Warmer temperatures influence the El Nino circle, and during the 2015 to 2016 event, disease outbreaks in southeast Asia, Tanzania, western United States, and Brazil came on the heels of the shift in temperature and vegetation, with an excess 14 to 81 percent variation in precipitation also happening.
With warmer temperatures, the climate crisis rears its head, putting the entire planet to renewed dangers, as diseases such as malaria and dengue terrorize countries, while ancient viruses threaten to emerge in many ways, to assault mankind as they did to species like mammoths and the others thousands of years ago.
If nothing is done, dengue fever could impact 60 percent of the world's population by 2080, worsening an already frightening situation, with 96 million dengue cases already occurring each year, 3.9 billion people at a risk of the infection in 129 nations, the incidence of the illness having risen 30-fold by one estimate in the last 50 years.
According to a report, climate change could allow many areas formerly unexposed to malaria to be at risk by 2050 if nothing is done, potentially leading to a 50 percent higher probability of malaria transmissions, with 700 million more people to be at risk, the population vulnerable to malaria rising by five percent.
If nothing is done, dormant viruses and bacteria could impact on very many people by 2050, especially if the permafrost degrades and ultimately vanishes in many areas of the Arctic, the effect going beyond the region's 3.3 million inhabitants, especially as the thawing permafrost could bring a great impact on the global carbon budget.
It looks to be a scary future indeed, with climate change fuelling huge carbon budgets, allowing dormant viruses and bacteria to stage new appearances, leading to a 50 percent higher possibility of malaria transmissions, and possibly impacting on about 60 percent of the world's population with dengue, all because humans appear powerless to confront global warming, frequent rainfalls, droughts, and other climatic calamities.
Warming temperatures could be slowed, just as frequent rainfalls and droughts could be addressed, when nations reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
More than 9,000 companies in over 1,000 cities pledged to join the initiative towards reaching net zero by 2050, so they could show commitments to the pledge they made by reducing their emissions as quickly as possible.
Ordinary people can make the idea feasible as quickly as possible, when they cut down on their carbon footprints.
When nations, companies, and ordinary people reduce their carbon footprints, then climate change-induced warm temperatures could be decreased, cutting down the havoc from dengue, malaria, and long-dormant zombie viruses and bacteria from the permafrost.
Exploding Products in Climate Sector
Plant-based Burgers
These are patties made from plant ingredients like soy, peas, or mushrooms.
Plant-based burger alternatives are typically made from other ingredients like pea protein, beans, mushrooms, or a combination of plant-based sources.
These alternatives have gained popularity for their environmental sustainability and appeal to those seeking a meatless option.
The plant based burger market is registering a valuation of US$ 5.1 billion in 2023. The market is expected to rise to US$ 23.2 billion by 2033 and is securing a CAGR of 16.3% during the forecast period.
Plant- based sausages
Sausage alternatives are crafted from plant-based proteins.
Brands such as Beyond Meat, Tofurky, and Lightlife offer plant-based sausage options that mimic the taste and texture of traditional sausages without using meat.
These alternatives are often seasoned with herbs and spices to recreate the flavors associated with traditional sausages
The plant based sausages market size was valued at USD 955 million in 2022 and is estimated to witness 23.6% CAGR from 2023 to 2032.
Chicken Alternatives: Plant-based substitutes for chicken, often made from soy, wheat, or peas.
Plant-based chicken alternatives include products like tofu, tempeh, seitan, and various plant-based meat substitutes made from ingredients like soy, pea protein, or wheat gluten. Brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods offer popular.
The plant-based chicken market is expected to record a CAGR of 18.4% from 2023 to 2033, from US$ 2,325.4 million by 2023 to US$ 12,601.0 million by 2033.
Opportunities for Creators, Activists, Founders, and Developers
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What to Eat
Vegan food from Peru, Credit, Peru Tourism
One of the most worrying things about climate change is that idea of the ancient virus buried deep in the glacier, which then melts and releases the virus into the world. I think you're right to call attention to this possibility. Dengue and malaria are awful, but at least we have some understanding of how to care for folks who have them.
Side note: vegan sausage is pretty good! I think out of all the meat substitutes, that and fake chicken nuggets are the best.
It's scary. Years ago, Saul Bellow in Mr. Sammler's Planet said it's scary that humans use their brains the way dinosaurs used their bodies to intimidate other animals. We know what happened to dinosaurs and other animals when nature came for a revenge. Humans will be able to cope for nature's revenge, only if people stop using their brains to intimidate and intervene with nature.