Geneva, Oct 29
Heat-related deaths have increased by 63 per cent since the 1990s, averaging 546,000 deaths yearly from 2012-21, according to an alarming report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change on Wednesday.
The report, authored by 128 multidisciplinary experts worldwide, showed how climate inaction is claiming millions of lives every year, causing widespread floods, droughts, and wildfires, and also facilitating the spread of infectious diseases across the globe.
The report, which comes ahead of the COP 30 to be held in November in Brazil, found that 12 of 20 key indicators tracking health threats have reached record levels, showing how climate inaction is costing lives, straining health systems, and undermining economies.
It warned that continued overreliance on fossil fuels and failure to adapt to a heating world are already having a devastating toll on human health.