Record Number of Heat-Related Deaths Due to Climate Crisis Hit New High in 2023

The Executive Director of The Lancet Countdown at University College London, Dr. Marina Romanello, emphasized the importance of the report, stating that "The health threats of climate inaction in this year's review reveal the most alarming findings to date." She continued, "Once again last year, we broke records for climate change, such as extreme heat, fatal weather events, and devastating forest fires. No individual or economy is exempt from the health threats of climate change." Romanello highlighted that the ongoing spread of fossil fuels and the dangerous effects of record levels of greenhouse gas emissions further undermine hopes of a sustainable future. The report shows that in 2023, severe droughts lasting over a month affected 48% of the world's surface and the number of hot days threatening human health increased by 50 days compared to a scenario where climate crisis was not a factor. This year, 151 million more people faced food insecurity, leading to health issues such as malnutrition. Heat-related deaths in individuals over 65 increased by 167% compared to the 1990s. The aging global population would have led to an increase in these deaths even without the climate crisis, but this increase would have been limited to 65%. Moreover, high temperatures caused a 6% increase in insomnia on average in 2023; insufficient sleep has serious negative effects on physical and mental health. Warmer and drier weather increased the number of people exposed to dangerously high levels of particulate matter by 31% due to sand and dust storms. Additionally, deadly diseases like malaria, dengue, and West Nile virus continued to spread to new areas in hotter regions. Despite all these risks, the report states that governments and companies are still increasing global greenhouse gas emissions by investing in fossil fuels. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions reached a record level with a 1.1% increase in 2023 compared to 2022, and after a decade, the share of fossil fuels in the global energy system rose to 80.3% in 2021. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, evaluated the findings of the report, stating that "The climate crisis is a health crisis. As the world warms, the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters are increasing." Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that climate change is no longer a distant threat but an urgent risk directly threatening health. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, "Record emissions bring record threats to health. We must heal the illness of climate inaction, reduce emissions, protect people from climate extremes, and move towards a future independent of fossil fuels." The report highlights that the effects of the climate crisis are also being seen in temperate regions. Between 2013 and 2022, the UK recorded a heat-related death rate of nine deaths per 100,000 people; additionally, 8.5 million work hours were lost in 2023 due to extreme heat. Dr. Lea Berrang Ford, Director of the Climate and Health Security Center at the UK Health Security Agency, stated, "Climate change is not just a future health threat. The effects on health are already being felt both domestically and globally, and these risks will rapidly increase." According to the report, the health measures taken today will determine the severity of the climate impacts faced by today's youth and their children.