Extreme heat caused by climate change poses a danger to 157 million people

New research published in the medical journal The Lancet shows that rising temperatures due to climate change are putting us at a very high risk of health. The study also for the first time warns that older people in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean are particularly vulnerable to extreme temperatures, far higher than Africa and Southeast Asia.

Top doctors, scholars and policy experts from 27 organizations contributed to the analysis and drafting of this report. As members of the Lancet Countdown Report: Monitoring progress on health and climate change, the research partners behind the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) , University of London and Tsinghua University, and other organizations.

Some of the new health impacts of heat are given in Report 2018 The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change includes: The number of vulnerable people suffering from heat waves (assuming each person has gone through a heat wave) last year was 157 million more than in 2000 and 18 million higher than in 2016; 153 billion hours of labor have been lost in 2017 due to extreme heat caused by climate change.

China alone loses 21 billion hours, equivalent to the one-year job of 1.4% of its working-age population. India lost 75 billion hours, equivalent to the one-year job of 7% of its working-age population.

New calculation methods have obtained this data for the first time; Rising ambient temperatures are making vulnerable populations face increasing risks across all regions of the world.

Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean are at high risk, mainly due to the aging population living in cities, with 42% and 43% of those over 65 years of age vulnerable to heat, significantly higher than Africa (38%) and Southeast Asia (34%); Heat significantly increases urban air pollution when up to 97% of cities in low- and middle-income countries do not meet WHO air quality guidelines.

97% of urban low- and middle-income countries are exposed to extreme heat pollution .

Heat stress , an early and serious impact of climate change, has become popular and we, and the health systems that we rely on, have not yet been equipped to cope. ; Increased temperatures and unusual warming are responsible for the spread of cholera and dengue fever, with the possibility of spread in many areas.

Currently, the average global temperature change that humans suffer is more than double the global average change, with temperatures rising 0.8 ° C compared to 0.3 ° C. Professor Hugh Montgomery, Co-Chair of Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change and Director of the Institute of Human Health and Performance, University of London said: 'Exposure and risk are susceptible. Extreme heat damage increases at unacceptable levels and those risks increase for people around the world. Heat stress is having a strong impact - especially for urban elderly people and people with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. At high temperatures, outdoor work, especially in agriculture, is very dangerous. Areas from northern England and California, to Australia, are taking place with devastating fatal fires, causing people to evacuate and lose their homes as well as to the respiratory system due to inhale smoke '.

The report points out, considering 41 separate indicators in a range of topics, said urgent measures need to be taken to protect people from now on the effects of climate change. In particular, stronger labor regulations are essential to protect workers from extreme heat changes, and our hospitals and health systems need to be equipped. better to respond.

But the report also emphasizes that there are limitations in adapting to the rise in temperature, and if not concerned about limiting negative impacts, climate change and heat will overwhelm even the system. The most powerful, therefore the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is very important.

Kris Ebi, professor of global health and environmental and occupational health sciences, University of Washington said: 'The increased death rate in extreme heat waves is no longer possible. it is an ongoing reality and will continue as global temperatures continue to rise. There is evidence that communities are not prepared to deal with the continuous increase in frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves. Action is required now, with appropriate investment, such as the deployment of heat wave early warning systems, including mapping vulnerable communities and providing interventions. cards to increase resilience in hot weather ".