By james art Around the world in 2023, people were exposed to an average of 50 more days of health-threatening temperatures than would be expected without climate change, while extreme drought affected 48% of the global land area, says the latest Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.
The higher frequency of heat waves and droughts was linked to 151 million more people experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity than each year between 1981 and 2010.
At the same time, 61% of the world’s land area has seen an increase in extreme rainstorms over the past decade, increasing the risk of flooding, infectious diseases and water pollution, while the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue has increased.
In the UK, people are increasingly exposed to health-threatening extreme heat, increasing the risk of heat-related illness and mortality, with an extra nine deaths per 100,000 people on average in 2013-2022.
Every baby and adult over 65 was exposed to an average of 6.5 heatwave days per year between 2014-2023, while 8.5 million potential working hours were lost to extreme heat in 2023, a 166% increase than the 1990 average, with construction workers hardest hit, the report warned.
The report also warns that people’s health in the UK is being affected by air pollution, with 29,500 deaths in 2021, with fossil fuels contributing to 44% of these cases, and early deaths costing £70bn – but moving to zero emissions and clean energy can address climate and health issues.
And unhealthy, unsustainable diets contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and affect health, but a shift to more balanced diets would reduce deaths and tackle climate change, the report said.
The report found that 10 of 15 indicators tracking health threats from climate change reached new record levels.
The report’s authors accuse governments and companies of continuing to fuel the fire by investing in fossil fuels, and say the trillions of dollars spent on financing oil, gas and coal should be redirected to the transition to clean economies.
Dr Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown at University College London, said the findings, released as countries prepare to meet for the next round of UN climate talks in fossil fuel-rich Azerbaijan, are the most worrying for the eight reporting years.
“Once again last year broke records for climate change, with extreme heat waves, deadly weather events and devastating wildfires affecting people around the world,” she said.
“No person or economy on the planet is immune from the health threats of climate change.
“Relentless fossil fuel expansion and record greenhouse gas emissions add to these dangerous health impacts and threaten to reverse the limited progress made so far and put a healthy future out of reach.”
Dr Romanello added: “Despite this threat, we see financial resources continue to be invested in the things that undermine our health.
“Redirecting the trillions of dollars that are invested in or subsidized the fossil fuel industry each year would provide an opportunity to achieve a fair and just transition to clean energy and energy efficiency and a healthier future that will ultimately benefit the world economy.”