The World Health Organisation warned this week that “climate change is making us sick and urgent action is a matter of life and death”.
Record heat, extreme weather, air pollution and the spread of infectious diseases: experts warn that climate change is already a major threat to the health of people around the world, but that threat is growing.
In what is expected to be the hottest year on record, the latest round of UN climate change talks begins next week in the shadow of the re-election of climate change skeptic Donald Trump as US president.
COP29 negotiations are taking place in Azerbaijan as many countries suffer devastating floods, droughts, heatwaves and storms as planet-warming fossil fuel emissions continue to rise around the world.
The World Health Organization warned this week that “climate change is making us sick and urgent action is a matter of life and death.
“Here are some of the health effects of global warming:
Extreme heat
The EU climate watchdog said this week that 2024 will “almost certainly” surpass last year and become the hottest year on record. It is also expected to be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900.
The group’s latest report said that of the 15 health effects of climate change that experts are tracking as part of the Lancet Countdown, 10 have reached “alarming new records.”
The number of people over 65 who die from heatstroke has increased 167 percent since the 1990s, and this is just one of the highest recent records, according to the report. Extreme heat poses numerous health risks, including kidney disease, strokes, pregnancy problems, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, organ failure, and ultimately death.
Jeni Miller, executive director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, said that “this year has highlighted the growing impacts of a warming climate on people’s health and well-being.”
She pointed to extreme heat that caused 700 deaths and more than 40,000 cases of heatstroke in India, “climate-driven” rains that caused dams to burst in Nigeria and killed 320 people, and 48 of the 50 U.S. states “are experiencing moderate damage or, worse, drought.”
Meanwhile, Spain is still recovering from its worst flooding in a generation, and parts of the U.S. and Cuba are picking up the rubble after recent hurricanes.
Droughts, floods, and other extreme weather are also expected to affect global crops and lead to increased hunger in many regions.
Air Pollution
Nearly the entire world population (99%) breathes air that exceeds the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines.
This pollution has been found to increase the risk of respiratory diseases, stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and other health problems, making it a threat comparable to tobacco.
According to the WHO, air pollution causes around 7 million premature deaths each year.
Just last week, Pakistan’s second largest city, Lahore, recorded air pollution levels more than 40 times the WHO’s acceptable levels.
In better news, the Lancet Countdown report revealed that deaths from fossil fuel-related air pollution fell by almost 7 percent from 2016 to 2021, mainly due to efforts to reduce pollution from burning coal.
Infectious Diseases
Climate change means that mosquitoes, birds and mammals will migrate from their current habitats, increasing the risk of introducing infectious diseases.
Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, West Nile virus and malaria are all mosquito-borne diseases that may become more prevalent in a warming world.
According to The Lancet Countdown, the risk of infection from dengue-carrying mosquitoes has increased by 43 percent over the past 60 years. Last year, a new global record of more than 5 million dengue cases was recorded.
Storms and floods cause stagnant water, which not only provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes but also increases the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhea.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a doctor for advice if you have any questions regarding a medical condition.
