November 2018: The medical journal The Lancet published its annual report on the health dimensions of climate change, offering grounds for “cautious optimism” about the level of current action. The report titled, ‘Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change,’ warns that, despite some promising trends, more rapid progress will be needed over the next five years.
Based on monitoring 41 different indicators of change, the report finds an “unacceptably high risk” of public health impacts, and general lack of progress in reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The report tracks indicators in five areas of concern: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and their health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. The authors describe health problems that have resulted from rising temperatures and extreme weather events, including exposure to heatwaves and a rise in the prevalence of dengue fever due to increased Aedes mosquitoes. While there has been no change in the carbon intensity of the global energy supply, the authors note increasing recognition within the health profession of the public health implications of climate change, for example, in decisions by health institutions to divest from fossil fuels, and the formation of an alliance of US medical associations to take action on climate change.
Taking action to reduce emissions, develop sustainable food systems, and reshape cities could result in better health.
Overall, the report presents four key messages: climate change threatens the current and future health of the world’s population; the world has not succeeded in reducing emissions and building adaptive capacity; some sectors have nevertheless undertaken a low-carbon transition; and the health profession is beginning to rise to the challenge of ensuring widespread understanding of climate change as a central public health issue. The authors note that progress has been uneven. Much of the research has focused on high-income and high-emitting countries, whereas very few studies focus on Africa and Southeast Asia – regions which, the report states, bear the brunt of the health impacts of climate change.
The report presents global and regional-level analyses of trends for each indicator. The authors highlight that taking action to reduce emissions, develop sustainable food systems, and reshape cities could result in better health all round in terms of cleaner air, improved diets and nutrition, and more opportunities for physical activity and social inclusion.
The report was produced by a multi-disciplinary research team drawn from 27 academic institutions and the UN and intergovernmental agencies from around the world. The team included not only health professionals but also climate scientists, ecologists, geographers, economists and many others. In 2015, the Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change led to the formation of The Lancet Countdown, a research collaboration responding to climate change as “the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century.” [Publication: The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change] [Report Web Page]