Studies suggest that the allergic season begins much earlier than usual and becomes much more intense due to the climate crisis.

New York-New studies show that the future allergy season begins more than a month earlier and is much more intense due to the climate crisis.

the studyPublished in the journal Nature Communications on Tuesday, the pollen season discovered by the end of the century could begin 40 days earlier than in recent decades in the United States due to global warming. Researchers have also found that annual pollen counts can increase by up to 250%.

“Pollen is getting people’s attention because allergies affect our daily lives,” Alison Steiner, the author of the study and a professor at the University of Michigan, told CNN. “Most of the population is affected by these allergies and people are really interested in how to understand [their allergies] It may change so that you can better manage your symptoms. “

Studies have shown in the past that allergic seasons are getting longer and pollen levels are higher, but Steiner, who has two children suffering from allergies, breaks down individual types of pollen and We analyze tree sources by region, especially various plant sources such as oak, sugi, and ragweed.

The timing of pollen release is different, especially in areas with abundant deciduous trees. For example, in Michigan, where Steiner lives, birch trees usually pollinate first, then oak or pine, and then other species within a few months.

However, in the future, the study found that once-timed different tree pollen varieties eventually overlapped with each other, increasing the overall concentration that threatened public health.

“Some people are allergic to certain pollens, others are not. Others have allergic proteins that can cause allergies. People with allergies are allergic types. Depending on what you are allergic to, you may not know what you are allergic to. In the tests you did, “Steiner said. ” [projected] The high concentration of pollen is in addition to the individual may have allergies. “

Luis Jiska, a plant physiologist and associate professor at Columbia University, suffers from allergies herself and always has a rescue inhaler. He said the study extends the work already done and reveals that the climate crisis, at some point, exacerbates allergies, asthma and other public health problems.

“This is a very solid science,” Jiska, who was not involved in the report, told CNN. “Especially looking at both high and low forecasts, we are very good at the types of impact climate change can have on people’s health directly.

“I was impressed with the particle size of the study, which was looking at more on a very specific region basis and also on specific plant species,” he added.

Wind pollen, which plays an important role in plant fertilization, is closely associated with changes in temperature and precipitation. Therefore, if climate change causes the spring season to warm up early, plants can pollinate much earlier and for longer periods of time.

Climate change also affects cold winter hours and frost-free days in spring, which affects the timing and duration of the pollen season.

Pollen from plants such as ragweed and grasses (usually plants that grow in grasslands and salt marshes) is expected to be higher in these areas than in the north, as temperatures are higher in the south and droughts occur in the southwest. It has been.

Researchers say that a longer and earlier pollen season can lead to public health emergencies. According to the report, more than 24 million people in the United States experience pollen-induced respiratory allergies or hay fever. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..

More research is needed to determine greater socio-economic implications, but Steiner said this can result in greater economic loss due to absenteeism, school days, medical costs, and premature death. rice field.

A recent UN climate report emphasized that greenhouse gases can be removed from the atmosphere by planting more trees and plants in green areas, which can lead to increased pollen in those areas. .. However, not all plants produce pollen. Steiner said people shouldn’t worry about more trees that increase pollen concentration, as long as planners are careful about which trees to plant.

As the windows for adapting to the climate crisis close rapidly, Steiner said if the world could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time reducing carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere to manageable points. He said the predictions could still be avoided.

“What happens between 2050 and 2100 really depends on human choice,” she said. “We really want it to change. Lots [of us] The climate community wants to see these reductions. This concentration will level off and hopefully temperatures will begin to level off, but it will take a lot of work to bring about that change. “

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