Climate Change Poses Unprecedented Threats to Human Health
A recent report reveals that climate change poses unprecedented threats to human health worldwide, resulting in alarming trends over the past eight years. Major concerns highlighted include increased extreme weather events, rising elderly death rates from heat, and the spread of diseases. While there is urgency for immediate action, the report notes some progress in reducing pollution and increasing renewable energy usage.
A recent report highlights the extreme threats posed to global human health by climate change. Experts warn that previous delays in addressing climate issues have resulted in a tragic loss of lives. The report coincides with unprecedented climate events in 2023, predicted to be among the hottest years recorded, featuring severe heat waves, droughts, floods, and other climate-related disasters. Titled the eighth Lancet Countdown on health and climate change and developed by a team of 122 experts, including those from UN agencies like the World Health Organization, the report identifies concerning trends over the past eight years, noting that ten out of fifteen tracked indicators have reached alarming new levels. Significant increases were documented in extreme weather occurrences, deaths among the elderly due to extreme heat, the proliferation of infectious diseases, and food insecurity caused by agricultural disruptions. Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown, emphasized that “record threats to the health and survival of people in every country, to levels we have never seen before” are evident. Specifically, the mortality rate among individuals aged over 65 due to heat exposure has escalated by 167 percent since the 1990s. Likewise, the expansion of warmer climates has enabled the spread of mosquitoes responsible for transmitting diseases, contributing to a record high of over five million dengue fever cases reported last year. The report highlights an alarming decline in global tree cover, with about five percent lost from 2016 to 2022, which diminishes the planet’s ability to absorb carbon emissions. Furthermore, oil and gas industries, in conjunction with certain governments and financial institutions, are seen as exacerbating the climate crisis by perpetuating high emissions and unsustainable practices, including record fossil fuel production and substantial subsidies amounting to $1.4 trillion in 2022. Despite the grim findings, the report also notes positive advancements, such as a near seven percent reduction in deaths due to fossil fuel-related air pollution from 2016 to 2021, likely influenced by initiatives targeting coal combustion pollution. Additionally, the proportion of clean renewable energy used for electricity generation increased significantly during this timeframe, and there are promising movements in climate negotiations focusing on public health concerns. Romanello cautioned that immediate action is imperative: “If action is not taken today, the future will be very dangerous. There is really no more time to waste – I know we have been saying this for many years – but what we are seeing is that the wasted time has been paid in lives.” She encouraged the public to adopt climate-conscious practices such as sustainable diets, reducing fossil fuel reliance, switching to banks that do not support fossil investments, and electing officials who prioritize effective climate policies.
The report discusses the alarming health impacts of climate change identified in the eighth Lancet Countdown on health and climate change. It highlights ten indicators that have reached record-high concerning levels due to climate change’s influence since 2016. This includes rising temperatures, increases in extreme weather events, health risks associated with heat exposure, and the spread of infectious diseases. The timing of the report coincides with significant international events focused on climate action, such as the anticipated UN Cop29 talks and the upcoming U.S. elections with implications for climate policy.
In conclusion, the Lancet Countdown report underscores the urgent and dire consequences of climate change for human health, marking record levels of risk that threaten lives globally. While it emphasizes the critical need for immediate and effective action to mitigate these threats, it also acknowledges positive signs of progress being made in renewable energy and pollution reduction. As the global community prepares for important climate negotiations and future policies, there exists an essential opportunity for collective action to avert a deeper crisis.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
