Los Límites de la Habitabilidad

The document examines how forest fires, driven by both intentional land clearing and climate change, create severe air pollution that impacts human health globally. It highlights specific crises in the Amazon, Australia, and Canada, noting increased respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and significant disruptions to healthcare infrastructure. The authors call for forest protection, improved community adaptation, long-term health research, and global climate action aligned with the Paris Agreement.

• Forest fire smoke contains pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, which can contaminate domestic water supplies and waterways through ash, particles, and fire retardants.
• Exposure to forest fire smoke is linked to short-term health effects including coughing, breathing difficulties, and the triggering of asthma, as well as increased emergency room visits for respiratory, cardiovascular, and diabetic issues. Vulnerable groups include children, the elderly (over 65), and people with chronic conditions like COPD and cardiovascular disease.
• Atmospheric pollutants from forest fires are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, specifically low birth weight in newborns. This has been observed in the Amazon basin and is currently being studied through large cohort studies in Canada and Australia.
• Severe fire events have caused significant healthcare system disruptions and public health crises: in Canada (2018), 19 hospitals were closed and 880 patients evacuated at a cost of 2.2 million dollars; in Australia (2019/2020), 80% of the population was affected by smoke, and inhaler prescriptions increased by 73% in Canberra during one week in January; in the Amazon basin, approximately 10 million of the 27 million residents live in areas with poor air quality.

APA

MacGuire, F., & Sergeeva, M. (2021). Los Límites de la Habitabilidad. Global Climate and Health Alliance. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Los-limites-de-la-habitabilidad-Resumen-ejecutivo.pdf

Chicago

MacGuire, Frances, and Milena Sergeeva. Los Límites de la Habitabilidad. Global Climate and Health Alliance, 2021. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Los-limites-de-la-habitabilidad-Resumen-ejecutivo.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=MacGuire |first1=Frances |last2=Sergeeva |first2=Milena |title=Los Límites de la Habitabilidad |publisher=Global Climate and Health Alliance |date=2021 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Los-limites-de-la-habitabilidad-Resumen-ejecutivo.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{macguire2021los, author = {MacGuire, Frances and Sergeeva, Milena}, title = {{Los Límites de la Habitabilidad}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2021}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Los-limites-de-la-habitabilidad-Resumen-ejecutivo.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }