Heatwaves, Air Pollution Escalate Climate Health Crisis
AFP/APP
Paris: Climate change is increasingly threatening human health through record-breaking heat, extreme weather events, air pollution, and the spread of infectious diseases.
As the world approaches what is expected to be the hottest year on record, the upcoming COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan aim to address these urgent issues amidst continuing high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that “climate change is making us sick, and urgent action is a matter of life and death.”
Here are some key ways that climate change is impacting global health:
Extreme Heat
The EU’s climate monitor projects that 2024 will likely be the hottest year on record, potentially surpassing the critical 1.5-degree Celsius increase from pre-industrial levels.
According to The Lancet Countdown, 10 out of 15 climate-related health indicators have reached alarming records, with heat-related deaths among those over 65 rising by 167% since the 1990s.
Extreme heat contributes to numerous health risks, including kidney disorders, strokes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, cardiovascular and respiratory issues, organ failure, and increased mortality.
In India, extreme heat led to 700 deaths and more than 40,000 cases of heat stroke this year. Other nations also grapple with climate-fueled disasters: Nigeria recently suffered the collapse of a dam due to heavy rains, killing 320 people, while nearly all U.S. states faced drought conditions.
Air Pollution
Currently, 99% of the global population breathes air exceeding the WHO’s safe air quality standards, a threat comparable to tobacco.
Air pollution is linked to respiratory diseases, strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes, and other conditions, causing nearly seven million premature deaths annually.
Lahore, Pakistan, recorded pollution levels 40 times higher than WHO guidelines last week. However, The Lancet Countdown noted a nearly 7% drop in deaths from fossil fuel-related air pollution between 2016 and 2021 due to reduced coal burning.
Infectious Diseases
A warming climate is expanding the habitats of mosquitoes, birds, and mammals, raising the risk of infectious disease spread. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, Zika, West Nile virus, and malaria are increasingly likely to spread in a warmer world.
Dengue transmission risk has risen by 43% over the last 60 years, with a global record of over five million cases last year.
Extreme weather events such as storms and floods create stagnant water, providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increasing the risk of water-borne diseases, including cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea.
Call for Action
As climate impacts intensify, health experts emphasize that urgent action on emissions and adaptation strategies is crucial to safeguard public health worldwide.
