Climate change: Agriculture and human health
The effects of climate change and our warming planet are already apparent in our daily lives. Heightened average daytime and evening temperatures are impacting the health of outdoor workers and livestock production. In-land flooding and drought are reducing the yield of agricultural crops and threatening global food security. The environmental effects are profound and reflected in the increase in wildland fires and sea-level rise that threatens coastal communities. The seminar will provide an introduction to the factors contributing to climate change and its potential risks to agriculture, global food security and human health. On-going mitigation and adaptation strategies will be described.
This session originally was presented at AVMA Convention 2024.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the difference between weather and climate
- Understand the factors contributing to global warming
- Describe the risks of climate change to communities
Dr. Levine is a graduate of Michigan State University (BS), University of Tennessee (DVM) and Harvard University (MPH). Dr. Levine served on the faculty of NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 1984-2016 where he taught epidemiology and public health, and clinical problem solving. During his career at the CVM he initially coordinated a research program focused on tick-associated diseases and then transitioned to work focused on aquatic species and in particular freshwater invertebrates. In 2016 he joined the faculty of the NC State College of Sciences in the Department head in Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences where he co-directs the Climate Change and Society Program.