Experts point out the health consequences of the climate crisis with drastic figures. Even if the average global temperature increase remained at just under two degrees compared to pre-industrial times, the number of global heat deaths would rise by 370 percent by the middle of the century, write the authors of the “Lancet Countdown on health and climate change.” . 114 international experts led by Marina Romanello from University College London (Great Britain) published the report in the specialist magazine “The Lancet”.
People worldwide are now exposed to twice as many days of extreme heat as in the period 1986 to 2005. This is particularly life-threatening for small children and older people. The number of heat-related deaths of people over 65 years of age has recently increased by 85 percent compared to the years 1991 to 2000. “Inaction will cost us dearly. We cannot afford to be so inactive – the price will be human lives,” Romanello said, according to a statement.
The increasing heat also means there are fewer and fewer safe hours to work or exercise outdoors. In addition, the dangers from forest fires and the spread of tropical infectious diseases are increasing. The researchers acknowledge that the number of renewable energies is increasing and that further measures are being taken to protect the climate. But: “With 1,337 tons of carbon dioxide still being emitted per second, we are not reducing emissions nearly fast enough to keep climate threats at the level that our health systems can manage,” said Romanello.
Summer temperatures increased by 1.8 degrees
In Germany, people were exposed to potentially life-threatening heat for an average of 7.9 days per year between 2013 and 2022. Although this is significantly less than the global average of 86 days, the average summer temperatures in this country in the years 2018 to 2022 were 1.8 degrees Celsius higher than in the period 1986 to 2005.
In Germany, for example, the high temperatures led to around 34 million working hours being lost due to heat in 2022 – especially in construction. According to the report, this is an increase of twelve percent compared to the period 1991 to 2000.
Although 31 percent of electricity in Germany was generated from renewable energies in 2020, it was only six percent in all energy areas combined – heating, transport and others. “Low use of clean renewable energy and the continued use of fossil fuels and biomass result in high levels of air pollution, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders and adverse pregnancy outcomes and a high morbidity and… mortality burden,” write the study authors in a special evaluation for Germany.
Researchers advocate a low-meat diet
Another part of the report is dedicated to the connection between nutrition, climate change and health. The scientists determined that keeping livestock is responsible for 57 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture worldwide. Not only do cattle in particular emit large amounts of methane, but the cultivation of fodder consumes large parts of the agricultural land. In addition, 1.9 million deaths globally were associated with excessive consumption of red meat, processed meat and dairy products in 2020; in Germany there were over 87,000 deaths. The researchers therefore advocate a plant-based and low-meat diet.
But the scientists also have positive things to report. Global deaths caused by air pollution have fallen by 15.7 percent since 2005. In addition, around 1,500 billion euros were invested in clean energies in 2022, 61 percent more than in fossil energies.
