Heat-related deaths up by 68 pc between 2000-04 and 2017-21: Lancet Report

Heatrelated deaths increased by 68 per cent between 20002004 and 20172021 while vulnerable populations the elderly and children less than a year old were exposed to 37 billion more heatwave days in 2021 than annually in 19862005 according to a global reportThe report brought out by Lancet Countdown focuses on the health effects of climate change amid the health social and economic aspects of the COVID19 pandemic global energy and costofliving crises brought about by the RussiaUkraine conflict and a persistent overdependence on fossil fuelsWhile floods in Australia Brazil China Malaysia Pakistan and other countries have caused thousands of deaths displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused billions of dollars in economic losses wildfires have caused devastation in countries like Greece Algeria Italy Spain and record temperatures have been recorded in many countries according to the reportAlso read World Heart Day 2022 Young adults need to beware of heart attacks postCovid19 herersquos whyAccording to the report extreme weather events caused damage worth USD 253 billion in 2021 particularly burdening people in low human development index HDI countries in which almost none of the losses were insuredFood security was affected by climate change because higher temperatures threatened crop yields directly with the growth seasons of maize on average nine days shorter in 2020 and the growth seasons of winter wheat and spring wheat six days shorter than for 19812010 globally it saidHealth systems are the first line of defence in an atmosphere where health impacts due to climate change worsen and compound other coexisting crises However just as the need for health care rises health systems are being debilitated by the effects of the pandemic and costofliving crisesUrgent action is therefore needed to strengthen health system resilience to prevent a rapidly escalating loss of lives and to prevent suffering in a changing climateIn 2022 while marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC countries agreed to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change and it deleterious effects on human health and welfareHowever according to the Lancet report this has been followed up with little meaningful actionFossil fuel dependence not only undermines global health through increased climate change impacts but also affects human health and wellbeing directly through volatile and unpredictable fossil fuel markets frail supply chains and geopolitical conflicts it saidIn low HDI countries only 14 per cent of their electricity came from modern renewables that is wind and solar power in 2020 An estimated 59 per cent of healthcare facilities in low and middle income countries still do not have access to reliable electricity needed to provide basic careOn the other hand oil and gas companies the report said are registering record profits even as their production strategies continue to undermine peoples lives and wellbeingThe worlds largest oil and gas companies as of February 2022 have been understood to exceed their share of emissions consistent with 15 degrees Celsius of global heating by 37 per cent in 2030 and 103 per cent in 2040 continuing to undermine decarbonisation efforts it saidMaking things even worse governments continue to incentivise fossil fuel production and consumption the report saidSimultaneously countries failed to meet their commitment mobilising the considerably lower sum of USD 100 billion annually by 2020 as agreed at the 2009 Copenhagen Accord to support climate action in developing countries and climate efforts are being undercut by a profound scarcity of funding it saidThe Lancet Countdown indicators after 30 years of UNFCCC negotiations show that countries and companies continue to make choices that threaten the health and survival of people in every part of the worldAt this critical juncture the report said an immediate healthcentred response can still secure a future in which the world population can not only survive but also thriveTaking stock of the health impacts of climate action Lancet Countdown brought out this report to help countries realise the ambition of making the Paris Agreement the most important public health agreement of the centuryThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever