Climate change is devastating global health, and government failures are causing “millions” of avoidable deaths every year, an international team of experts warned Wednesday.
According to the Lancet’s Countdown report, a major annual assessment of climate-related health impacts, opportunities for a “just” climate transition remain “largely untapped.”
The report quantified some of the most deadly outcomes of a warming planet: 546,000 people died each year between 2012 and 2021 from heat exposure, a sharp increase from the 1990s, while toxic fumes from wildfires killed a record 154,000 people last year.
Released ahead of the UN COP30 climate talks in Brazil, the study called for urgent investment in zero-carbon energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, and improved health planning.
‘Reversing harmful policies’
The authors were sharply critical of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from global climate and aid programs, saying his policies were copied by other nations and slowed progress.
“Reversing these harmful policies and progressing meaningful climate change action is now crucial to protect people’s health and survival,” the report said.
With global temperatures in 2024 marking the hottest year on record — surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time — researchers warned of mounting health threats from heatwaves, droughts, floods, and other extreme events.
“Climate change is increasingly destabilizing the planetary systems and environmental conditions on which human life depends,” the study said.
Fossil fuel toll
The report found fossil fuel-related air pollution caused more than 2.5 million deaths in 2022 alone, criticizing governments for continuing to subsidize polluting industries.
It said global fossil fuel subsidies reached $950 billion in 2023, with Russia, Iran, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and China identified as the biggest contributors. The total was down from the 2022 record of $1.4 trillion, when governments rushed to ease energy costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
‘Backsliding’ by world leaders
The authors accused corporations, “key decision-makers,” and world leaders of “backsliding” on climate commitments while praising local governments and grassroots groups for stepping up in their absence.
“Without urgent action, climate change will continue to worsen existing health inequities, strain health systems, and threaten survival,” the report concluded.
