Climate change provides a lot of health related risks to humans. The air pollution from burning of fossil fuels can be attributed to pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury. The breathing of these pollutants can result in reduced lung function, asthma, cardiovascular disease, preterm birth, and premature death. Air pollution from fossil fuel burning lowers the average life expectancy on a global scale by nearly 3 years. With the removal of fossil fuel emissions, the average global life expectancy would actually increase by 1.1 years.

 Climate change can be attributed to a number of human related activities. Firstly, the need for food production has risen due to the human population doubling in the past 50 years. As a result, habitat loss has been plentiful as natural areas have been taken down and used for food production centers. These food systems across the globe are not sustainable, which is a crucial element of why climate change is how it is today. Agricultural producers are building their lands and destroying natural habitats in the process, which must be changed in order to help prevent more climate change. In addition, they must use fewer chemicals and adopt the process of agroecology, which uses more crops and practices for their agricultural needs instead of their current monoculture systems. Dietary choices also play a role in climate change, as the food system produces about 25% of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, which are harmful as they contain chemicals that get trapped in the atmosphere and trap heat, warming the areas below. About a third of the Earth’s land surface and ¾ of its fresh water are now utilized for crop or livestock production. Additionally, land degradation is from food production and is now much more frequent as nearly a quarter of the world’s land is less productive than before. The decrease in genetic variety when producing crops has also led products to be much more susceptible to pathogens and pests, affecting food health and security on a global level. A profound solution to these food system issues would be using more sustainable agricultural practices where soil quality will be improved and productivity and other ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and water quality regulation will be raised.  Here are some examples of sustainable agriculture practices: 

• Rotating crops and embracing diversity. Rotating crops and adding different species can add more pest control and healthier soil.

• Planting cover crops. Cover crops are planted during the off season times when soils may be bare in order to protect and build soil health by preventing erosion, giving the soil its nutrients, monitoring weeds, and reducing herbicide needs.

• Reducing or eliminating tillage. Reducing or eliminating tillage will help promote soil health by placing seeds into the soil to prevent erosion. 

• Integrating livestock and crops. Allowing for animals and crops to coexist in the same areas can result in much more efficient, profitable farms and have less lands being used for agricultural needs and allowing natural lands to survive. 

Adoption of agroforestry practices. The addition of trees and shrubs could help provide animals, water resources and plants with comfort as areas with shade and shelter will now be available.