Although climate change has already made allergy season more prolonged and pollen counts greater, you still need to be careful.
Researchers at the University of Michigan studied 15 plant pollens from the United States. They then used computer simulations to predict how severe allergy season would be by 2100. This is enough to make allergy sufferers more red-eyed.
The world is heating up, andallergy season starts weeks earlier than usual. It will also end many days later, and it’ll get worse while it lasts. A new study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications found that pollen levels could triple in some areas.
Warmer temperatures allow plants to bloom earlier and keep them blooming later. Allison Steiner, University of Michigan climate scientist, stated that plants can produce more pollen if there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels like coal, gasoline, and natural gas.
It is already happening. An study by different researchers a year ago found that pollen has increased over the past decade and that allergy season is beginning earlier than usual, much of this due to climate change.
According to allergists, pollen season in the U.S. started around St. Patrick’s Day but now it often begins around Valentine’s Day.
New research has shown that allergy season will get longer and the amount of pollen will rise. The length and amount of allergy season will depend on the pollen and the location, as well as how many greenhouse gas emissions are in the air.
Pollen season would begin 20 days earlier if there were moderate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from oil, coal, and natural gas. The most extreme, and more unlikely, warming scenario will see pollen season begin 40 days earlier in large parts of America than it has in recent decades.
According to Yingxiao Zhang (University of Michigan climate researcher), pollen allergies affect around 30% of the world’s population and 40% of American children. This can lead to lost work days and high medical costs.
For the 25 million Americans suffering from asthma, allergies can be particularly difficult. Amir Sapkota, an environmental health professor at the University of Maryland, stated that this could make their problem worse.
Steiner stated that while allergy sufferers will be more common in the United States, it will be most severe in the Southeast.
Alder tree pollen season is set to begin in the Pacific Northwest, where it will be most dramatic. The greatest increases in Cypress tree pollen, which is particularly bad in Texas, will be seen.
Zhang stated that ragweed and grasses, which are common pollen allergens, will have longer seasons and higher pollen count in the future.
According to Bill Anderegg, University of Utah climate scientist and biologist Bill Anderegg, the University of Michigan’s projections project a twice-as large jump in pollen issues than has occurred since 1990.
Anderegg, who was not involved in the research, said that “Overall, it is an incredibly important and significant study.” It shows us that historical trends of longer, more severe pollen season are likely to continue due to climate change. This will have significant health implications for Americans suffering from allergies and asthma.
