Environment
The global health effects of climate change are not well quantified today and are likely to increase in the future, with lower-income countries bearing the brunt of greater food insecurity, increased rates of chronic respiratory illnesses, and shifts in vector-borne diseases. This section explores the global health nexus between climate change and pollution and the possibilities for a more coherent policy approach to these issues.
Environment
32,200
Agricultural burning accounted for approximately 32,200 premature deaths in 2019
Deaths related to the use of fire to clear land
25 Percent
The U.S. makes up 5 percent of the global population, but produces 25 percent of the world's CO2 emissions
The United States and CO2 emissions
4 Million
In 2019, outdoor air pollution was linked to more than 4 million deaths
Air pollution-linked deaths
One-Third
The one-third of Earth under the guardianship of Indigenous peoples boasts ~80 percent of global biodiversity
Indigenous Land Guardianship Around the World
5 Percent
In India, health care contributes to 5 percent of the national carbon footprint
Carbon footprint of India's health-care industry
700,000
Indonesia dumps close to 700,000 tons of plastic into the ocean each year
Indonesia and plastic waste
62,000
In 2018, China reported 62,000 heat-related deaths in people over age 65
Aging and heat
Featured
Zombie Viruses From the Arctic
Thawing permafrost is releasing microbes from the Neanderthal era—how real is the risk for public health?
India's Pollution Problem
India's former secretary for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare talks smog and health
PEPFAR Meets Climate Change
Another president's emergency plan for another global health crisis
A Turning Point on Climate Change and Health
COP28 presents an historic opportunity to transform the response to the effects that climate change has on health.
Waste-to-Energy for U.S. Military Bases
A new technology that could replace burn pits in U.S. overseas military bases
Telehealth's Transformation of Climate Change
Patient travel is a large driver of CO2 emissions, but telehealth can change that
Deep Sea Discoveries and Global Health
Humans have only begun to explore the ocean's potential for healing diseases
Outer Space and Global Health
Space has become more important to global health, creating new challenges and exacerbating old problems
A Holy River at Risk
The iconic Jordan River is threatened by pollution, overuse, and climate change, but efforts are underway to save it
Air Quality, Health, and Climate Conversations
More than 90 percent of the world breathes polluted air
COP27 Produced a Triple Burden for Climate Policy—And That's Bad News for Global Health
The conference created a "loss and damage" fund but failed on mitigation and adaptation
Flu: When Spillovers Spill Over
The high risk of H5 influenza in North America this fall
Protecting Mental Health in the Era of a Warming Planet
It's often forgotten that mental health is influenced by climate change
Puerto Rico—Still Waiting for Power After Hurricane Fiona
A fragile health system, vulnerable elderly, and food insecurity worry University of Puerto Rico's Carmen Vélez Vega
Building for Heat
Heat waves are taking lives, draining rivers, parching crops, and motivating efforts to adapt to climate change