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Climate change, human health, and resilience in the Holocene

Robbins Schug, Gwen; Buikstra, Jane E.; DeWitte, Sharon N.; Baker, Brenda J.; Berger, Elizabeth; Buzon, Michele R.; Davies-Barrett, Anna M.; Goldstein, Lynne; Grauer, Anne L.; Gregoricka, Lesley A.; Halcrow, Siân E.; Knudson, Kelly J.; Larsen, Clark Spencer; Martin, Debra L.; Nystrom, Kenneth C.; Perry, Megan A.; Roberts, Charlotte A.; Santos, Ana Luisa; Stojanowski, Christopher M.; Suby, Jorge A.; Temple, Daniel H.; Tung, Tiffiny A.; Vlok, Melandri; Watson-Glen, Tatyana; Zakrzewski, Sonia R.

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Authors

Gwen Robbins Schug

Jane E. Buikstra

Sharon N. DeWitte

Brenda J. Baker

Elizabeth Berger

Michele R. Buzon

Anna M. Davies-Barrett

Lynne Goldstein

Anne L. Grauer

Lesley A. Gregoricka

Siân E. Halcrow

Kelly J. Knudson

Clark Spencer Larsen

Debra L. Martin

Kenneth C. Nystrom

Megan A. Perry

Ana Luisa Santos

Christopher M. Stojanowski

Jorge A. Suby

Daniel H. Temple

Tiffiny A. Tung

Melandri Vlok

Tatyana Watson-Glen

Sonia R. Zakrzewski



Abstract

Climate change is an indisputable threat to human health, especially for societies already confronted with rising social inequality, political and economic uncertainty, and a cascade of concurrent environmental challenges. Archaeological data about past climate and environment provide an important source of evidence about the potential challenges humans face and the long-term outcomes of alternative short-term adaptive strategies. Evidence from well-dated archaeological human skeletons and mummified remains speaks directly to patterns of human health over time through changing circumstances. Here, we describe variation in human epidemiological patterns in the context of past rapid climate change (RCC) events and other periods of past environmental change. Case studies confirm that human communities responded to environmental changes in diverse ways depending on historical, sociocultural, and biological contingencies. Certain factors, such as social inequality and disproportionate access to resources in large, complex societies may influence the probability of major sociopolitical disruptions and reorganizations—commonly known as “collapse.” This survey of Holocene human–environmental relations demonstrates how flexibility, variation, and maintenance of Indigenous knowledge can be mitigating factors in the face of environmental challenges. Although contemporary climate change is more rapid and of greater magnitude than the RCC events and other environmental changes we discuss here, these lessons from the past provide clarity about potential priorities for equitable, sustainable development and the constraints of modernity we must address.

Citation

Robbins Schug, G., Buikstra, J. E., DeWitte, S. N., Baker, B. J., Berger, E., Buzon, M. R., …Zakrzewski, S. R. (2023). Climate change, human health, and resilience in the Holocene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(4), Article e2209472120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2209472120

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Nov 22, 2022
Online Publication Date Jan 17, 2023
Publication Date 2023
Deposit Date Jan 20, 2023
Publicly Available Date May 2, 2023
Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Print ISSN 0027-8424
Electronic ISSN 1091-6490
Publisher National Academy of Sciences
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 120
Issue 4
Article Number e2209472120
DOI https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2209472120

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