WHO: Six Climate Measures Could Save 1.6 Million Lives a Year

Climate change is making increasing numbers of people vulnerable to its consequences and the associated health risks. An estimated 3.6 billion people live in areas where they are particularly exposed to climate change and its health impacts.

According to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, implementing six climate and health measures could prevent 1.6 million deaths annually – approximately one in every 40 deaths – while generating trillions of dollars in economic and fiscal benefits.

“The climate crisis is a health crisis, but much of the damage it causes can be prevented using tools we already have,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The six measures include heat-health warning systems; climate-resilient drinking water services; basic sanitation, hygiene facilities and handwashing facilities; cleaner household fuels and technologies for cooking and heating; and more effective fossil fuel pricing policies.

“Scaling up proven and affordable measures can save millions of lives, with the greatest benefits going to the countries that need them most,” Tedros said. “As governments prepare for the next round of climate negotiations, protecting health must be at the heart of climate policy.”

Without additional action, climate-related health risks such as malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress are estimated to cause 250,000 premature deaths annually between 2030 and 2050, Euronews reports.

By 2050, climate change could expose approximately 500 million additional people worldwide to climate-sensitive disease vectors, the report notes.

The measures target a range of climate-related health risks, from extreme heat and air pollution to infectious diseases and unsafe water.

The WHO is calling for the establishment of heat-health warning systems that alert the public to dangerously high temperatures and trigger response measures, such as promoting adequate fluid intake, providing cooling centres and reaching out to vulnerable populations.

It also stresses the need to ensure resilient sources of clean water to prevent shortages and contamination during extreme weather events, as well as access to basic hygiene services to reduce exposure to waterborne pathogens.

Switching to cleaner energy sources would reduce indoor air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, potentially preventing deaths and illnesses associated with respiratory infections and chronic noncommunicable diseases, including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer and asthma, the WHO noted.

The organization is also urging governments to introduce more effective fossil fuel pricing policies, ensuring that their cost reflects their impact on health, the climate and the environment.

According to the report, phasing out fossil fuels offers the greatest health benefits, preventing more than one million premature deaths annually from noncommunicable diseases, including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, as well as road traffic injuries. At the same time, it would generate annual fiscal benefits of US$5.4 trillion.

The WHO estimates that every US$1 invested in the other five measures generates an average return of US$24.8. The benefits are expected to be even greater in low- and middle-income countries, helping to reduce health and economic inequalities.