Changing weather conditions are making people sick, dengue and malaria are also becoming dangerous, shocking revelations revealed in the new study.

New Delhi: Climate change and weather fluctuations in the country have also started affecting the health of common people. Malaria is also affecting people in the Himalayan regions. The increasing cases of dengue across India is also a result of this. According to the eighth Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, developed by 122 experts, the spread of these diseases is driving calls for better climate-inclusive forecasts, stronger healthcare infrastructure and increased community awareness.Climate change has affected
This shows that India needs to revive its health and climate policies. There is a need to take urgent action to prioritize financial investments and build a strong adaptive response to protect our populations from the ever-increasing threats posed by climate change. The latest Lancet report revealed that people around the world are grappling with record-breaking threats from climate change. Shocking data has revealed that 10 out of 15 indicators tracking health risks have set new records in 2023. Additionally, there were 50 days in which temperatures reached levels potentially harmful to human health.

More deaths due to heat stress
In 2023, the world continues to grapple with unprecedented climate challenges. Last year was marked as the hottest year on record. Continued increases in global temperatures have triggered severe droughts, deadly heat waves and devastating wildfires, storms and floods. Heat-related deaths have increased, especially among people over the age of 65, a whopping 167 percent increase compared to the 1990s.

Individuals also experienced high temperatures an average of 1,512 hours a day, an increase of 27.7 percent compared to 1990. This resulted in 512 billion potential labor hours lost and an estimated $835 billion loss in global income, with the impact disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries. Between 2014 and 2023, extreme rainfall events are expected to increase across 61% of the global land area, increasing the risks of floods and diseases.

Dengue and malaria also increased rapidly
The increase in temperature has also seen a rise in diseases caused by mosquito bites like dengue. A changing climate is creating environments that are increasingly favorable for the transmission of infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, West Nile virus and vibriosis, even in areas where these diseases were not previously known.

severe drought
In 2023, a record high 48 percent of the global land area experienced severe drought for at least a month, the second highest level since 1951. This has affected crop production, water supply and food security. The increase in drought and heat events from 1981 to 2010 is linked to an additional 151 million people in 124 countries suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022.

positive developments
Despite the serious developments caused by climate change, the Lancet report notes some positive developments that have given hope for a better world. Reduction in coal burning leads to reduced deaths from air pollution and global investment in clean energy increases to $1.9 trillion in 2023. Employment in renewable energy reached record levels, underscoring the sector’s potential to support job security.