Climate Change Reaches New Records, The Lancet Report Claims

Populations around the world are facing unprecedented risks to well-being, health, and survival due to climate change, according to a new report published by the Lancet Countdown.

The report, produced after 8 years of monitoring with contributions from 122 researchers from UN agencies and academic institutions worldwide, highlights that of the 15 indicators used to assess climate-related health risks, exposure, and impacts, 10 have reached alarming levels according to recent data.

The report states that heat-related mortality among people over 65 has risen by 167% compared with the 1990s — 102 percentage points higher than the 65% increase that would be expected without temperature rise.

Exercise and Sleep Affected

In 2023, children and adults over 65 experienced 13.8 days of heatwaves — defined as 2 or more days on which both maximum and minimum temperatures were above the 95th percentile of local climate averages. This set a new per-person record, the report emphasized, with heat exposure increasingly affecting physical activities and sleep quality, with consequent effects on physical and mental health.

In 2023, heat exposure put people engaging in outdoor physical activity at risk for moderate or higher heat stress for 27.7% more hours than the 1990s average, while lost sleep hours due to heat reached a record 6% increase compared with the 1986-2005 average.

The same year saw a loss of 512 billion potential work hours, a 49% increase over the 1990-1999 average.

People around the world are increasingly vulnerable to extreme climate events, as seen in the tragedy in Valencia, Spain, which left over 50 dead, and floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

From 1961-1990 to 2014-2023, 61% of global land areas saw an increase in days of extreme rainfall, leading to heightened risks of flooding, infectious disease spread, and water contamination.

Risk for Dengue Transmission

One notable impact is on the potential risk for dengue: Climatic suitability for transmission by Aedes aegypti increased by 10.7% when comparing the period 1951-1960 with 2014-2023. The report pointed out that over 5 million dengue cases were reported globally in 2023.

Meanwhile, 48% of the global land area experienced at least 1 month of extreme drought in 2023, the second-largest area recorded since 1951. Increased droughts and heatwaves from 1981 to 2010 contributed to 151 million people suffering moderate or severe food insecurity in 124 countries in 2022, the highest level on record.

In addition to outlining health and well-being impacts, the report highlighted that the world is veering away from meeting the target of the Paris Agreement, the leading international climate treaty aimed at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 °C.

Emission Targets Threatened

The report noted that global carbon dioxide emissions from energy generation hit a record high in 2023. Oil and gas companies are reinforcing global dependency on fossil fuels, with most planning to expand their operations. As of March 2024, the world’s 114 largest oil and gas companies were on track to exceed emissions aligned with the 1.5 °C target by 189% by 2040, compared with 173% predicted in the previous year. This trajectory makes meeting Paris Agreement goals increasingly difficult to attain, further threatening people’s health and survival.

In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in technology transfers, green energy, and cheaper finance for low- and middle-income countries that still rely on fossil fuels is essential to achieve an equitable energy transition, the report’s authors said.

The report acknowledged progress in this area. By December 2023, 50 countries had formally assessed their health vulnerabilities and adaptation needs, up from only 11 in 2022.

In the same period, 43 nations reported having a National Health Adaptation Plan, compared with only four the year before.

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, “The latest Lancet Countdown report, to which WHO has been a strategic partner, makes it clear: Climate change is not a distant threat, but an immediate risk to health. Around the world, WHO is supporting countries to both adapt to and mitigate the health impacts of climate change by building climate-resilient and climate-friendly health systems.”

This story was translated from Medscape’s Portuguese edition using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.