Escalating Health Risks of Climate
Escalating Health Risks of Climate: According to experts, climate change is an escalating global crisis with wide-ranging impacts on human health. The consequences of rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation are already being felt worldwide, and experts warn that these threats are growing.
The UN climate talks will begin next week. Experts predict that this year will be the hottest on record. Azerbaijan will host the talks. They come amid global challenges. Fossil fuel emissions continue to rise. Extreme weather events grow more frequent. Climate change deniers, like Donald Trump, gain influence. Trump has just been re-elected as US president.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued stark warnings, emphasizing that climate change is already making people sick and urging immediate action to prevent further harm. Here are some of the primary ways that global warming is affecting public health:
Extreme Heat
According to the EU’s climate monitor, 2024 is the hottest year, likely surpassing previous years by a significant margin. Experts expect this year to be the first to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold many nations had hoped to avoid.
Extreme heat is a major health risk, with recent reports showing a sharp increase in deaths among the old people. For example, deaths from heat among individuals aged 65 and older have surged by 167% since the 1990s. Heatwaves contribute to a variety of severe health conditions, including kidney problems, heart attacks, strokes, and pregnancy complications, and can even result in organ failure or death.
Jeni Miller, Executive Director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, noted that this year underscores how rising temperatures affect human health and well-being. She highlighted tragic events such as the 700 heat-related deaths and 40,000 heat stroke cases in India, catastrophic floods in Nigeria, and widespread drought conditions in the US.
Extreme Weather Events
Floods, hurricanes, and droughts are becoming more frequent and intense, with devastating consequences for communities. Spain is still recovering from its deadliest floods in a generation, while parts of the United States and Cuba are reeling from the impact of recent hurricanes. Additionally, the agricultural sector faces mounting challenges as extreme weather disrupts crop production, threatening food security and increasing the risk of hunger.
Air Pollution
Air pollution remains a major global health crisis. Nearly 99% of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds safe levels, according to WHO guidelines. Polluted air increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It also raises the risk of strokes, lung cancer, and diabetes.
The WHO estimates that nearly seven million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution. For example, in Lahore, Pakistan, air pollution levels recently reached 40 times the safe limit set by the WHO. On a positive note, the Lancet Countdown report found that deaths from fossil fuel-related air pollution decreased by nearly 7% between 2016 and 2021, due in part to efforts to reduce coal-burning emissions.
In conclusion, the health impacts of climate change are already severe and continue to worsen. Experts are urging immediate action to mitigate these risks and protect public health worldwide.
Published in Dawn, 10th November 2024
