A new report from The Lancet shows that one person dies every minute as global temperatures rise.
What happened?
The analysis summarized by The Guardian said that since the 1990s, even accounting for population growth, heat-related mortality has soared by 23%. The researchers found that an average of 546,000 people died from heat-related causes each year between 2012 and 2021 – which equates to about one death every minute.
Study leader Dr Marina Romanello of University College London told the Guardian the report “paints a bleak and undeniable picture of devastating health risks in every corner of the world”. “Until we end our dependence on fossil fuels, the damage to lives and livelihoods will continue to escalate.”
Why is this report important?
The Guardian points out that burning planetary heating energy also causes air pollution. Meanwhile, rising global temperatures are causing a surge in wildfires and increasing the death toll from smoke, while more droughts and heat waves are exacerbating food insecurity.
“Paradoxically, as the need for decisive action to protect health continues to grow, some world leaders are ignoring the growing body of scientific evidence on health and climate change, often in favor of short-sighted economic and political interests,” the researchers said. They noted that global action on climate change is weakening. They also found that by 2023, governments will provide $2.5 billion a day in direct subsidies to users and producers of dirty energy.
What are we doing to combat rising global temperatures?
While many countries appear to be failing on climate action, Romanello told the Guardian that action by local communities and authorities, as well as health authorities, is promising.
One example of community-led climate innovation is a solar farm in Jersey, a self-governing territory in the British Isles. The facility will generate enough electricity to power 600 homes, with the panels also providing shade for grazing sheep.
You can do your part by voting for climate change candidates and upgrading to a green 401(k).
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