Topic:
Country: Algeria
Delegate Name: Leah Milligan
11/22/23
Submitted to: World Health Organization
From: Algeria
Subject: Climate Change and Public Health
Algeria and climate change are closely intertwined, as are climate change and public health. First of all, due to Algeria’s location, geography, and economic status, Algeria is highly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. Also, because a great percentage of Algeria’s population lives in rural areas(1), which are especially subject to the negative effects of climate change(2), Algeria stands in a risky position when it comes to climate change and public health. Public health has to do with climate change for so many reasons. For example, climate change means an increase in temperature, which means a better environment for bugs, which means there are more malaria-carrying mosquitos, which means more people get sick and public health goes down and degrades.
Malaria is a very important topic when it comes to climate change and public health. Algeria was the second African country to become virtually malaria-free, which was a big accomplishment. However, there is no way to ensure that this accomplishment remains, because malaria can come back at any time. Climate change is associated with a spike in temperatures, and mosquitoes thrive and reproduce in high temperatures(3). More mosquitoes naturally leads to a greater chance of an increase in malaria cases.
While Algeria was able to acquire the resources to fund the eradication of Malaria in the country, we can’t fund the ending of climate change, due to the fact that that’s expensive and the whole world must agree upon this. Even if one country were to not agree upon working to end climate change, there is no chance of saving the planet. Additionally, developing countries such as Algeria only have so much money to use, especially since much of our money goes to funding free healthcare for all Algerian citizens.
So, while there is no concrete solution to end climate change, Algeria suggests that highly developed countries use funds for education. This education would involve teaching the younger generations to preserve the planet, because if that is what younger generations are taught, then there will be no need to spend so much funding to end climate change, which would be risky. If well-developed countries spent money on their young citizens and young citizens of developing countries, the chances of terminating climate change will skyrocket.
(1)“World Bank Open Data.” World Bank Open Data, data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?page=1&locations=DZ. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023.
(2)“National Climate Assessment.” National Climate Assessment, nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/regions/rural-communities#:~:text=Rural%20communities%20are%20highly%20dependent. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023.
(3)US EPA, OAR. “Climate Change Indicators: West Nile Virus.” Www.epa.gov, 1 July 2016, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-west-nile-virus#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%20warmer%20temperatures.
