'Yearly deaths due to heat may rise fivefold'

If temperatures rise by 2°C (over pre-industrial levels) by the end of the century, then yearly heat-related deaths are projected to increase 370% by midcentury, according to an analysis published in The Lancet on Tuesday. The new global projections are part of the 8th annual report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.

- Rhythma Kaul

There is catastrophic threat to the health and survival of billions of people all over the world, and to successful adaptation efforts, from any further delays in action to limit temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the analysis stressed.

"Our health stocktake reveals that the growing hazards of climate change are costing lives and livelihoods worldwide today. Projections of a 2°C hotter world reveal a dangerous future, and are a grim reminder that the pace and scale of mitigation efforts seen so far have been woefully inadequate to safeguard people's health and safety", Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown at University College, London, said in a statement. "With 1,337 tonnes of carbon dioxide still emitted every second, we aren't reducing emissions anywhere near fast enough to keep climate hazards within the levels that our health systems can cope with." The analysis, led by researchers at University College, London, represents the work of 114 leading experts from 52 research institutions and UN agencies around the world, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), providing the most up-to-date assessment of the links between health and climate change.