Several U.N. reports on climate change have warned the world of the dramatic consequences that could befall the environment, the planet and human survival if increasing global warming trends continue. As stated in an editorial in the medical journal The Lancet, “Acting on the climate crisis is a clear, yet still neglected, priority for public health."
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 was Earth’s second hottest for the past 140 years. Furthermore, 19 of the warmest years on record have occurred since 2000. The impact of these increasing global warming trends has been considerable on people of all ages, particularly the most vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions.
The estimated annual deaths attributed to climate change by the World Health Organization totaled around 150,000. Between the years 2030 to 2050, this number could rise to as high as 250,000 deaths. Most of those fatalities will result from heat stress, malnutrition, malaria and intestinal and respiratory infections, particularly in children from developing countries.