Global Warming Will Make Things Worse For Allergy Sufferers
Posted on May 11, 2007
In March and April there were reports that allergy sufferers would face a "pollen superburst" this season. News outlets quoted experts that say we face a pollen explosion this year.
This was not the kind of early spring news people with allergies wanted to hear. Unfortunately, it may be just the tip of the iceberg. A single bad year or season may just be the beginning of bigger problems for people with allergies in years to come. Experts believe global warming will increase the amount of pollen trees and weeds produce. Climate change could also make allergies a year-round problem.
A CBS News article explains a link between increasing carbon dioxide emissions and rising pollen. The article says the air we now breathe has about 350 parts of carbon dioxide per million parts of air. Experts expect carbon dioxide levels to double within the next three to six decades. Experts studied ragweed at carbon dioxide levels of 350 parts per million and 700 parts per million.
The Harvard Medical School are quoted as saying, "In future climates with elevated [carbon dioxide], we predict pollen production will be just as robust in years with late springs as in years with early springs. Overall, pollen production in ragweed can be expected to increase significantly under predicted future climate conditions."
The article also says annoying plants like poison ivy and ragweed will do better in this kind of climate which is not good news at all for people with ragweed allergies. This video from NBC also discusses the link between global warming and rising pollen counts.