Climate change threatening global health – report

 

Globally, climate change is having a significant negative influence on people's health, according to a report from a prestigious medical journal.

 

The world's ongoing reliance on fossil fuels, according to the Lancet Countdown research, raises the danger of food instability, infectious diseases, and heat-related illnesses.

 

In response, UN Secretary General António Guterres said that leaders must scale their responses to the scope of the issue.

 

Next month, leaders will gather in Egypt for the significant COP27 climate conference.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and 99 other organizations, all of which were coordinated by University College London, contributed to the report.

 

It explains how the pressure from harsh weather has increased on health facilities around the world that are already dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak.

 

It finds that during the past two decades, the number of deaths caused by heat have climbed by two thirds worldwide.

 

In 2022, temperatures smashed previous records all around the world, especially in the UK, where a July temperature of 40C was reported, as well as in some regions of Europe, Pakistan, and China.

 

Extreme heat can worsen medical issues like cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, lead to heat stroke, and have a negative influence on mental health.

 

But it said there are solutions. "Despite the challenges, there is clear evidence that immediate action could still save the lives of millions, with a rapid shift to clean energy and energy efficiency," the report concludes.

 

Mr Guterres said that the world is watching G20 countries, which produce 80% of global greenhouse emissions. They must step up efforts to slash emissions and lead the way by investing more in renewable energy, he added.

 

"Human health, livelihoods, household budgets and national economies are being pummelled, as the fossil fuel addiction spirals out of control," he said.

 

The Lancet study from today is a rallying cry.

 

The argument put forth by the writers is intended to demonstrate the urgency of taking immediate action at the UN climate conference in Egypt.

 

But there are tremendous headwinds at the summit.

 

Developing nations will demand that developed nations who became wealthy through the use of fossil fuels pay more money to cover the price of the loss and harm our changing climate is creating.

 

They will also inquire about the $100 billion per year for climate action that wealthy countries were meant to make accessible starting in 2020. We still need to raise billions of dollars to reach the amount.

 

The Egyptians hosts of COP27 have warned of a "crisis of trust".

 

But the developed world is battling with a cost-of-living crisis as energy and food prices soar. Many of them are already spending billions on military support for Ukraine.

 

Get ready for some heated debates in Egypt.