Rising temperatures could lead to more than 9 million climate-related deaths each year by the end of the century, the World Health Organization said in a report on Friday.
(Bloomberg) — Rising temperatures could lead to more than 9 million climate-related deaths each year by the end of the century, the World Health Organization said in a report on Friday.
Despite contributing the least historically to global emissions, African countries, poorer nations and small island developing states face the greatest health consequences of climate change, the WHO said.
Under the sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 it was agreed to work to ending poverty and inequality and to ensure healthy lives that promote well-being for all.
“All aspects of health are affected by climate change – from clean air, water and soil to food systems and livelihoods,” the WHO said. “Further delay in tackling climate change will increase health risks, undermine decades of improvements in global health, and contravene our collective commitments.”
Changing temperature and rain patterns also threaten to push transmission of mosquito, tick and rodent-borne diseases that already kill more than 700,000 people each year into new regions.
While some regions are facing severe drought and others grapple with flooding and conflict, disease outbreaks — including the Marburg virus, cholera and wild polio —are straining often limited resources, health workforces and infrastructure.
–With assistance from Kendra Pierre-Louis.
(Updates with details on health goals in third paragraph.)
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