The impact of climate change on the health of the population and legal regulations in the Republic of Serbia

Nikolić Popadić, Sofija (2023) The impact of climate change on the health of the population and legal regulations in the Republic of Serbia. Назив зборника International Scientific Conference “Challenges and Perspectives of the Development of Legal Systems in the XXI Century” Collection of Summaries (3). pp. 12-13. ISSN 2831-1361

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Abstract

Climate change has a significant impact on the health of the population. Numerous consequences of changed climate conditions such as temperature increase, increase in the number of tropical days, amount of precipitation, as well as days with extreme amount of precipitation, etc. affect people’s health and contribute to an increase in the death rate. The effects of changed climatic conditions on the health of the population are visible in the Republic of Serbia. During the heat wave in July 2007, there was a significant increase in the mortality of the population, especially for people with cardiovascular problems, diabetes, kidney and respiratory diseases. In addition to increasing the death rate, heat waves affect the occurrence of heat strokes, sunstroke, etc. The increase in temperature is also associated with the emergence of new types of infectious diseases. High temperatures and droughts have a significant impact on the water supply and on the reduction of agricultural yields, which can also affect the food supply. The consequences of climate change also occur in the form of other extreme weather events such as fires and floods, which also threaten the lives of the population. In the floods in 2014, 51 persons lost their lives. Floods can also affect the spread of various diseases. Having all that in mind, the research is dedicated to the very important question of whether climate change is recognized in the strategies and regulations of the Republic of Serbia as one of the risks for the health of the population? In this research we analyzed the Public Health Strategy in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2018-2026, the Law on Public Health, the Law on Health Care, the Law on Patients’ Rights and the Law on Climate Change. The results of the research show that climate change as a risk for the health of the population does not have an appropriate place in the health regulations. At the end of the research, recommendations were given for improving the situation in this field.

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