The Alarming Growth of Health Impacts Due to Climate Change

Climate change impacts more than just our planet and environment; it affects our health, too. On a global level, climate change has taken a heavy toll on healthcare systems as they put in extra effort to prepare for and mitigate the heightened risks. As such, a study by the Lancet Countdown finds an unprecedented level of health impacts due to climate change.

Increasing Health Impacts

Following the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the Lancet Countdown has been monitoring the progress, impacts, and opportunities in the health sector related to this agreement. The 2024 study, developed by 122 researchers from UN agencies and academic institutions around the world, reveals the most concerning findings from eight years of monitoring.

The number of people experiencing threats to their wellbeing, health, and survival due to the climate crisis reached a record-breaking high. For instance, heat-related mortality of people older than 65 years increased by 167% compared to the 1990s. Without temperature rise, the number would have stood at 65%. Heat exposure also significantly affects people’s sleep quality, which in turn affects their physical and mental health.

Furthermore, life-threatening extreme weather events have put more people at risk. Between 1981 and 2010, the increasing frequency of drought and heatwaves led 151 million more people to suffer from moderate or severe food insecurity across 124 countries. The study notes that this number, assessed in 2022, is the highest recorded value.

Meanwhile, the changing precipitation patterns and rising temperatures also exacerbate the spread of deadly infectious diseases, including dengue and malaria, even to previously unaffected locations.

Delayed Actions

While the connection between climate change and health has been recognized and mitigated to some extent, the study finds that delayed actions in the sector exacerbate the growing health risks people face. This means that a significant portion of the world are still ill-equipped to face the impacts of climate change.

“Only 68% of countries reported high-to-very-high implementation of legally mandated health emergency management capacities in 2023, and only 35% of countries reported having health early warning systems for heat-related illness, whereas 10% did so for mental and psychosocial conditions,” the study reported. A lack of financial resources poses a significant barrier to this issue.

Additionally, carbon-intensive industrial practices and slow adoption of renewable energy also fuel the health impacts of climate change. In 2023, the study notes that global energy-related CO2 emissions reached an all-time high, further aggravating the climate crisis. At the same time, a significant number of the world’s population still lack affordable, safe, and clean energy, which interferes with their daily activities, health, and wellbeing.

Cross-Sectoral Support Needed

Without committed actions to address it, climate change will continue to bring profound and widespread health impacts to the global population. Therefore, preventing catastrophic consequences on people’s health and wellbeing requires the support and willingness of key actors across multiple sectors, including health. A rapid growth of investment, trusted leadership, and continuous engagement from health professionals in climate-related decision-making will be pivotal actions to gradually minimize the health impacts and risks from the climate crisis.

Read the full study here.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma

Kresentia Madina

Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website | + posts

Madina is the Assistant Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at Green Network Asia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Studies from Universitas Indonesia. As part of the GNA In-House Team, she supports the organization's multi-stakeholder engagement across international organizations, governments, businesses, civil society, and grassroots communities through digital publications, events, capacity building, and research.