LANCET REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

• Climate change is driving severe health impacts all around the world.
• The persistent global fossil fuel dependence compounds these health harms amidst multiple global crises, keeping households vulnerable to volatile fossil fuel markets, exposed to energy poverty, and dangerous levels of air pollution.
• New findings presented in the 7^th annual global report of the Lancet Countdown on Health & Climate change reveal that governments & companies continue to follow strategies that threaten the health & survival of people.
• The report represents the work of 99 experts from 51 institutions, including WHO, and the World Meteorological Organisation(WMO).
• Climate Change is affecting almost every pillar of food security.
• The duration of the growing season for maize decreased by 2%, compared to the 1981-2010 baseline, while rice & winter wheat each decreased by 1%.
• From 2012-2021, infants under 1 year old experienced an average of 72 million more person-days of heatwaves per year, compared to 1985-2005.
• Adults over 65 years for the same period experienced 301 million more person days.
• This means that on average, each infant experienced an additional 0.9 heatwave days per year while adults experienced an additional 3.7 per person.
• From 2000-2004 to 2017-2021, heat-related deaths increased by 55% in India.
• Indians lost 167.2 billion potential labour hours due to heat exposure with income losses equivalent to 5.4% of the national GDP.
• From 1951-1960 to 2012-2021, the number of months suitable for dengue transmissions by Aedes aegypti rose by 1.69% reaching 5.6 months each year.
• These are early warnings & it is necessary to take mitigation measures like adapting heat action plans in each city.
• The Ahmedabad heat action plan that has shown mortality can be reduced, should be adapted everywhere.
• The burning of dirty fuels needs to be minimised as soon as possible to reduce the accompanying health impacts.