New global projections highlight ’enormous human cost’ to climate inaction

Thailand city view in heatwave summer season high temperature from global warming effect Delayed action on climate change is costing lives and livelihoods, with people exposed to dangerously high temperatures and predictions of a 4.7-fold increase in heat related deaths by mid-century, finds the latest Lancet Countdown report led by UCL researchers. The 2023 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change delivers a concerning health stocktake, with new global projections revealing the grave and mounting threat to human health as a result of climate inaction. Key findings of the report include: In 2022, individuals were, on average, exposed to 86 days of health-threatening high temperatures. Of these, 60% were made at least twice as likely to occur because of human-caused climate change. New global projections reveal that the world is likely to experience a 4.7-fold increase in heat-related deaths by mid-century. A new regional section of the report highlights the different and unequal health impacts of climate change, highlighting who is benefitting from climate change adaptation, and the health benefits of the clean energy transition so far. Authors outline how a just energy transition could reduce health inequities and improve the health and wellbeing of all populations.