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
30,000
Since March 2022, cholera has infected more than 30,000 and killed more than 1,000
Malawi's Cholera Outbreak Could Spill Over into Neighboring Countries
0.08%
Sri Lanka and other dengue-endemic countries brought the mortality rate of dengue down to less than 0.08%
Why Nations Need to Prepare for Climate-Fueled Dengue
40,000
More than 40,000 people die of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning annually
Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning When Disasters Hit
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
COP28 Sparks Urgency Amid Climate Funding Shortfall
Multilateral organizations should finance climate adaptation and mitigation efforts to combat climate change's harms
Eyes on Disease X: Ranking the Next Pandemic
University of California, Davis has expanded its SpillOver tool to assess the pandemic potential of dangerous pathogens
Climate Change’s Hidden Mental Toll On Children
New evidence reveals that the climate crisis affects neurological and mental well-being more than previously understood
Why Nations Need to Prepare for Climate-Fueled Dengue
World leaders should act quickly to support countries on the frontlines of climate-sensitive diseases
From Talk to Action: Rethinking the Language of Climate Change
To motivate action on climate change, advocates need to use the right words
Zambia's Cholera Outbreak Rings Warning Bells on Climate Change
Cholera spikes are one of many signs foretelling the rapid emergence of climate-sensitive diseases
How Medical Education Is Adapting to Climate Change
Educational initiatives are sprouting to help doctors and nurses confront the health threats created by climate change
Aporkalypse Now: Bearded Pigs Face Environmental Peril
How African swine fever created a conservation catastrophe
Parkers Resilient Health Takes on Nigeria's Climate Challenges
The telemedicine platform aims to expand health-care services to people living in flood prone regions
Bringing Health-Care's Carbon Emissions to Zero
Countries renewed their commitment to reducing the health-care sector's climate impact at COP28
AI to Air Quality: Looking Back at COP28
A physician emissary recounts on-the-ground health takeaways from COP28
At COP28, the Climate-Health Nexus Turned a Corner, for Better and Worse
Health got more attention, a change that magnifies the unprecedented dangers an unprepared world faces
Climate Change and Health at COP28
The conference in Dubai seeks to elevate health in climate policy
Rebuilding Libya’s Health-Care System
Overcoming the legacy of conflict, natural disasters, and political divisions for a healthier future