Climate change should be formally declared a global health emergency as its impacts on human health intensify and existing efforts fail to adequately protect populations, according to authors of a major new report.
The latest Lancet Countdown report on climate change and health warns that climate-related health risks have increased and accelerated since the Paris Agreement entered into force in 2016.
The report’s authors are urging the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations to formally recognise climate change as a global health emergency, arguing that the scale of the threat requires a more coordinated and urgent international response.
According to Euronews, the proposed declaration could help shift climate action away from slow, voluntary commitments towards coordinated emergency management, stronger accountability and preventive public health measures.
Heat-Related Deaths Raise Serious Concerns
The report highlights the growing impact of extreme heat on human health, with vulnerable communities facing increasing risks as global temperatures rise.
The past 11 years have been the hottest on record, while annual heat-related deaths have increased by nearly 36% over recent decades.
In 2023 alone, heat was associated with approximately 710,000 deaths, with the report attributing more than 70% of these deaths to human-caused climate change.
Rising temperatures pose particular risks to older people, individuals with existing health vulnerabilities and communities with limited access to cooling, healthcare and other essential services.
The findings underline the importance of heat action plans, early-warning systems and stronger healthcare preparedness to protect people during extreme weather events.
Climate Change Increasing Disease Risks
Beyond extreme heat, climate change is contributing to conditions that can increase the spread of infectious diseases.
The report identifies growing climatic suitability for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, including dengue and Zika. Changes in temperature and rainfall can influence the geographical distribution and seasonal activity of disease-carrying insects.
Extreme precipitation, droughts and wildfires also pose serious threats to public health. These events can disrupt essential services, damage healthcare infrastructure, worsen air quality and undermine access to safe water and sanitation.
The consequences can be especially severe in communities that lack adequate healthcare facilities, reliable infrastructure and the financial resources needed to recover from climate-related disasters.
Experts warn that the accelerating pace of these threats demonstrates the need to strengthen both climate mitigation and public health adaptation measures.
Experts Call for Urgent Global Action
The proposed global health emergency declaration is intended to encourage governments and international institutions to treat climate change as an immediate public health priority.
Among the measures highlighted by the report are stronger health surveillance systems, improved early-warning mechanisms, rapid mobilisation of resources and legally binding accountability arrangements.
These steps could help countries identify emerging health threats earlier, prepare healthcare systems for extreme weather and protect populations at greater risk.
The report also calls for more decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including an immediate global ban on new fossil fuel exploration and exploitation, a complete phase-out of coal-fired power generation by 2035, and a transition towards predominantly plant-based diets.
Such measures would address the underlying drivers of climate change while supporting efforts to reduce its long-term consequences for human health.
Climate Resilience Essential for Vulnerable Communities
The growing health burden associated with climate change highlights the importance of climate resilience, particularly in countries that face extreme heat, floods, droughts and limited healthcare capacity.
Investments in climate-resilient hospitals, reliable water supplies, urban green spaces, cleaner energy and effective disaster preparedness can help communities cope with climate-related risks.
Governments can also strengthen public awareness campaigns, improve access to cooling facilities during heatwaves and develop emergency response plans that prioritise vulnerable populations.
For developing countries, integrating climate adaptation into healthcare planning and urban development will be crucial to reducing the human and economic costs of extreme weather.
A Narrowing Window for Action
Despite international efforts to address climate change, greenhouse gas emissions continue to reach record levels, while health risks associated with rising temperatures and extreme weather continue to grow.
The report’s authors argue that a change in approach is necessary to protect present and future generations.
A formal declaration of a global health emergency would not, by itself, resolve the climate crisis. However, proponents believe it could help strengthen international coordination, increase political accountability and place human health at the centre of climate policy.
The central warning is clear: climate change is no longer only an environmental challenge. It is an escalating public health threat that requires urgent action to reduce emissions, strengthen healthcare systems and protect vulnerable communities.
