Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.
According to the latest report of Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, people across the world are facing record-breaking threats to their wellbeing, health, and survival from climate change, which has raised temperatures to dangerous new heights.
Statistic |
Data |
Land area facing extreme drought conditions |
48% of the world’s land area last year |
Increase in people experiencing food insecurity |
151 million more people compared to 1981-2010 |
Land affected by extreme rainfall |
60% of lands last year |
Impact of extreme rainfall |
Caused floods and increased risks of water contamination or infectious diseases |
Lost labour hours due to extreme heat in 2023 |
512 billion potential hours, worth $835 billion in potential income |
Increase in hours of heat stress exposure |
27.7% more hours than in the 1990s for outdoor physical activities |
Increase in dangerous temperature days per person in 2023 |
50 more days than without climate change |
Increase in heat-related deaths among people over 65 |
167% above the number in the 1990s (expected increase without climate change was 65%) |
Increase in people exposed to high particulate matter |
31% increase between 2003–07 and 2018–22 |
Increase in average annual economic losses from weather-related extreme events |
23% increase from 2010–14 to 2019–23, reaching $227 billion per year |
Climate Change Impact on Health
About the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change Report
Lancet Countdown is an annually published international, multidisciplinary collaboration, dedicated to monitoring the evolving health profile of climate change and providing an independent assessment of the delivery of commitments made by governments worldwide under the Paris Agreement. The Lancet Countdown report was established following the 2015 Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change.
Collaborative Effort: The Report is funded by Welcome and developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and various other institutions.
The Lancet Countdown tracks 53 indicators across five key domains:
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Conclusion
With increasing temperatures and extreme weather events, the health impacts of climate change are increasingly being felt across the world. More people are dying from extreme heat; the suitability for the transmission of infectious diseases is increasing; and crop yields are falling, causing a rise in food insecurity.
Health and climate professionals understand the urgency, there have already been several calls to action in the health community, but more work has to be done in order to push for public and political engagement towards tackling both climate change and health. There is now a window of opportunity to take action together, aligning climate change response and the pandemic recovery to deliver improved public health for generations to come.
REFERENCE- https://www.thelancet.com/countdown-health-climate/about
Source:
PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Discuss the impact of climate change on public health focusing on the effects of extreme weather events and health challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Propose strategies to mitigate these health impacts in the context of India. (250 words) |
© 2024 iasgyan. All right reserved