food insecurity, the risk of contagious diseases and potential workforce losses are increasing.
3food insecurity, the risk of contagious diseases and potential workforce losses are increasing.
Climate change report: Over-reliance on fossil fuels jeopardizes the health of generations
The annual report of the peer-reviewed medical journal Lancet, examining the effects of climate change on health, was published this year with the title "Lancet Health and Climate Change Countdown 2022: Human Health at the mercy of Fossil Fuels".
Released ahead of the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP27), the report measures the impact of extreme heat on food insecurity, household air pollution and the fossil fuel industry's fit for a healthy future, using 43 indicators.
The report's findings reveal that governments and companies continue to pursue strategies that increasingly threaten the health and survival of current and future generations.
Due to the continued high use of fossil fuels, the reduction in the carbon intensity of the global energy system was less than 1 percent from its 1992 level. With the current rate of change, it is predicted that it may take 150 years for the energy system to be completely decarbonised, and the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees under the Paris Agreement will become increasingly difficult.
The report, which represents the work of 99 experts from 51 institutions, including the World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization, is administered by the University of College London.
COUNTRIES AND COMPANIES STILL PRIORITIZE FOSSIL FUEL
Fossil fuels are given priority by governments and companies over clean energy solutions, which are harmful to health.
While 69 of the 86 governments examined in the report provided $400 billion in net fossil fuel subsidies in 2019, these subsidies accounted for 10 percent of health expenditures in 31 of the countries and over 100 percent in 5 of the countries.
The current strategies of the 15 largest oil and gas companies in the world lead to a 37 percent increase in greenhouse gas production in 2030 and a 103% increase in 2040, indicating that these companies are not fulfilling their commitments to reduce their emissions.
Due to the continued dependence on fossil fuels and the delay in the transition to clean energy, people in hana are exposed to polluted air. Hazardous particulate matter concentrations (PM2.5) exceed the recommendation of the World Health Organization by 30 times in 62 countries, threatening human health.
It is calculated that approximately 30 percent of the 3.1 trillion dollars spent on responding to the Kovid-19 epidemic will be sufficient to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
On the other hand, despite the alarming indicators in the report, a health-centered response to the current energy, cost of living and climate crises can accelerate the rapid transition of energy companies to clean sources and create a future of equality in health.
INCREASED RISK OF FOOD INsecurity, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND DEATH
The epidemic is exacerbated by the Russian war in Ukraine, the global energy crisis and the health effects of the high cost of living, and continued dependence on fossil fuels. This leads to increased risks of food insecurity, the spread of infectious diseases, heat-related illnesses, energy poverty and death from exposure to air pollution.
The health effects of fossil fuels, which make climate change worse and worse, raise the issue of trust in every country.
Extreme heat affected 98 million more people in 103 countries with moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020 compared to 1981-2010.
29 percent of the global land area is affected by more extreme droughts each year in 2012-2021 than in 1951-1960, putting people at risk of water and food insecurity.
Children under one year old spent a total of 600 million days (4.4 days per child) and adults over the age of 65 spent 3.1 billion days (3.2 days per person) in 2012-2021 compared to the period 1986-2005. experienced a heat wave.
Temperature-related deaths increased by 68 percent in 2017-2021 compared to 2000-2004, while human exposure to very high and extremely high fire hazard days increased in 61 percent of countries compared to 2001-2004 and 2018-2021.
Exposure to heat caused 470 billion potential labor hours lost worldwide last year, affecting the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries by an average of 5.6 percent, and worsening the cost of living crisis.
Changing and worsening climatic conditions also reflected on infectious diseases. The time available for the transmission of malaria increased by 32.1 percent in the mountainous regions of the Americas and 15 percent in Africa in 2012-2021 compared to the 1951-1960 period.