According to the latest edition of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, risk indicators for human health related to global warming have reached new record levels. In particular, the number of deaths of people over 65 years old due to heat has increased significantly. Experts warn that human health is facing unprecedented threats due to climate change.
This is the ninth edition of the report, in which scientists from around the world analyze the threats to human health caused by climate change. In a recent publication about 2023, the authors argue that the world is dangerously close to warming by 1.5 degrees above average global temperature. The authors of the document wrote in the introduction that “extreme climate events are taking more and more lives around the world”.
As we recall, 2023 was the hottest year on record, with severe droughts, deadly heat waves, and devastating wildfires, hurricanes, and floods. This, among other things, led to disastrous consequences for people's health and lives.
“Climate change is not a distant threat, but an immediate threat to health,” said the head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Global Warming Adam Ziemienowicz/PAP
Deadly heat
According to the report, 48 percent of lands experienced at least one month of drought last year. As it was emphasized, this is the second highest result since 1951. In addition, scientists have recorded an additional 50 days with life-threatening temperatures.
– Last year once again broke climate change records with extreme heat waves, deadly weather events and devastating fires affecting people around the world. Dr Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown at the University of London, said no person or the planet's economy is immune to the health threats of climate change.
The effects of prolonged heat especially affected the elderly. In 2023, a record 167%. the number of deaths over the age of 65 has increased compared to the 1990s.
Food safety
Another problem was food insecurity linked to global warming. “Increasing droughts and heat are associated with an increase in the number of people suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity. The scale of this increase is estimated at 151 million people in 124 countries in 2022. This is the highest level ever recorded. “It was noted.
Experts have also concluded that climate change will facilitate the transmission of dangerous infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, West Nile fever and vibriosis. People are now exposed to them in places where they were not exposed to such dangers before. Hotter and drier weather also led to sand and dust storms, which contributed to a 31 percent increase in the number of people exposed to dangerous concentrations of particulate matter.
– Record high emissions pose a record risk to our health. We must cure the disease of climate inactivity, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Climate warming contributes to large fires Maciej Zielinski, Mateusz Krymski/PAP
Poor sleep, less physical activity
The authors of the study also emphasized that climate change affects our sleep and physical activity. In 2023, the effects of heat will lead to a record six percent. more sleep time was lost in 2023 than the 1986-2005 average.
In addition, due to the high temperature, people who are engaged in physical activity outside were exposed to heat stress (moderate or more) for a record of 27.7. more than in the middle of 1990
“Climate change is becoming a serious problem in Poland”
Commenting on the results of the latest Lancet Countdown report on health and climate change, Polish experts emphasize that the consequences of climate change in our country are already noticeable.
– This phenomenon also presents us with new tasks, for example, the fight against vector-borne infectious diseases – Lyme disease, which is already common in Poland, and West Nile fever, which was first detected in our country in a non-traveler. last week – said the doctor. Olga Wdowiczak, HEAL Polska Environmental Health Specialist.
According to the specialist, the negative impact of heat waves or extreme weather events is tens of thousands of hospitalizations and premature deaths on human health every year, which also causes very high external health costs.
– Climate change is becoming a serious problem in Poland, – added Wdovichak.
People affected by flooding and floodsMaciej Zieliński/PAP
PAP, The Guardian, The Lancet
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
