[Exclusive] 8 out of 10 Koreans Say "Climate Crisis Will Threaten Health"... First Survey Results from Disease Control Headquarters

Mr. Lee (31), who commutes using Dongjak Station on Seoul Subway Line 7, cannot forget the incident last August when the subway station was flooded due to record-breaking heavy rain. He said, “When I was young, I almost drowned in a valley, so I dislike the feeling of having part of my body submerged in water,” adding, “Since then, I thought that I could become a victim of heavy rain, not just hear about it on the news.”

On the 7th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), together with the Department of Preventive Medicine at Dankook University College of Medicine and the Department of Public Health at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, conducted the first-ever “2022 National Climate Health Awareness Survey.” It found that 8 out of 10 citizens believe that current climate change, including global warming, could pose a threat to health. Last August, the country experienced the largest-scale heavy rain in history, resulting in 13 deaths and about 1,500 displaced persons. The severity of climate change became widely known as people witnessed or learned via social media about scenes such as the flooding of low-lying areas in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul, and subway stations like Dongjak and Isu being submerged.

Cars flooded by record-breaking heavy rain last August

From August 29 to September 7 of that year, a survey was conducted over ten days targeting 1,500 adults aged 19 and older nationwide. It showed that 84.4% of respondents believed that current climate change poses a threat to public health. Among them, 66.7% responded that it would be a “considerable threat,” and 17.7% said it would be a “tremendous threat.”

Concerns about climate change among the public increase significantly as time goes on. Responses indicating that climate change would threaten health within 5 years were 88.6%, within 20 years 93.5%, and within 50 years 90.2%. The Korea Meteorological Administration has projected that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at this level, the number of heatwaves and heavy rain days will increase by the mid-21st century. Thus, public health concerns related to the climate crisis are not unfounded.

Among respondents, 87.4% are currently worried about climate change. Forty percent are very worried, and 47.4% are somewhat worried. However, only 63.2% recognized the health risks caused by climate change, which is relatively low. There were generational differences in awareness of the climate crisis: 70.5% of those aged 60 and older, who account for most heat-related deaths, were concerned, while only 42.9% of people in their 20s showed concern, the lowest among age groups. Only 30.3% of respondents felt that there is sufficient information about the health impacts of climate change. Seven out of ten citizens feel that information on health and diseases caused by climate change, climate health policies, safety, behavior, and response guidelines is lacking.

A KDCA official stated, “This 2022 National Climate Health Awareness Survey was conducted based on the results of the first Climate Health Impact Assessment to examine various tailored information needs and directions for climate health policy.”

Overseas, rapid response systems are being established to promptly address health issues arising from the escalating climate crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) recommend identifying vulnerable groups and conducting health impact assessments related to the climate crisis. According to the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN-affiliated body, the health risks related to climate issues are emphasized, including both physical and mental health within the scope of climate problems.

The KDCA now views the climate crisis as an urgent personal health issue requiring a change in public awareness. Accordingly, the KDCA plans to prepare evidence necessary for establishing climate health policies through cooperation with related ministries and to enhance public awareness of climate health.