Ignoring Climate Change: The Deadly Price of Neglect for Our Planet and Humanity
According to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO), neglecting the issues of global warming and climate change leads to catastrophic consequences for human health and life.
For nine consecutive years, University College London, in partnership with WHO, has been conducting comprehensive monitoring of climate changes, countries’ responses, and their direct impact on human health.
The most recent, ninth report titled The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change confirms that threats to health have reached unprecedented levels.
This indicates a deep crisis affecting humanity.
The annual study focuses on analyzing the impact of climate change across 20 indicators, 12 of which have already shown unprecedented levels of harm to the health of the global population by 2025.
Deaths due to extreme heat increased by 23% compared to 1990, with approximately 546,000 lives lost annually due to heatstroke and heat stress.
Particularly alarming is the spread and expansion of Dengue fever—a mosquito-borne disease that, in severe cases, causes internal bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, and capillary wall damage, leading to fatal outcomes.
The world is approaching a point of irreversible climate change: as Dengue cases are diagnosed in regions inhabited by its mosquito vectors, the geographic range of these insects continues to expand due to global warming.
Over recent decades, the potential for transmission of Dengue has increased by nearly 50%, serving as a worrying indicator of global health risks.
Additionally, air pollution remains a major cause of premature mortality—millions of deaths worldwide are linked to polluted air.
Analyzing emissions from fossil fuel combustion and forest fires, researchers report that in 2024, air pollution-related deaths reached a record high of 154,000, the highest in recent history.
Forest fires have contributed to this increase, spreading across the globe.
Experts emphasize that current trends demand immediate and radical actions from governments and industries to halt the climate catastrophe.
While global climate policies, such as the Paris Agreement, have partially mitigated the worst-case scenarios, the overall situation remains dire.
Humanity must recognize the urgency of these problems and harness advanced technologies and political will to implement critical changes, as time to prevent disaster is rapidly running out.