The Lancet: Extreme heat harms health and livelihoods and threatens to overwhelm hospitals around the world

29/11/2018 – from the Climate Center
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One of the most respected medical journals in the world, The lancet, yesterday published research showing that rising temperatures caused by climate change are exposing vulnerable populations to increased risk around the world.

Leading physicians, academics and policy professionals from 27 organizations – all members of Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change network – contributed to the badysis and jointly drafted the report.

Other research partners include the World Bank, the World Health Organization, University College London and Tsinghua University.

"Exposure and vulnerability to extreme heat are exceedingly high and increasing for people around the world," said Professor Hugh Montgomery, co-chair of the group and director of the Institute for Human Health and Performance of the UCL.

"Heat stress is hitting hard, especially among older people in urban areas and those with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

"At high temperatures, work outdoors, especially in agriculture, is dangerous."

Hours lost

Some of the thermal impacts detailed in The lancet the report includes:

* 157 million additional vulnerable people experienced a heat wave last year compared to 2000 and 18 million more than in 2016.
* For the first time, new methodologies have made it possible to track the number of hours of work lost under the effect of extreme heat: 75 billion in India, for example; $ 21 billion in China; 153 billion worldwide.
* The aging of the population in the cities of Europe and the eastern Mediterranean is particularly threatened.
* The heat greatly exacerbates urban air pollution, with almost all cities in low- and middle-income countries not following the WHO guidelines for air quality.

A press release yesterday from The lancet describes heat stress as "an early and severe effect of climate change, [it] is commonplace and we, and the health systems we rely on, are ill-equipped to cope. "

He added that the increasing heat "is responsible for the spread of cholera and dengue fever, with the vector capacity of their transmission increasing in many endemic areas".

According to Kris Ebi, professor of global health at the University of Washington: "The increase in mortality due to extreme heat waves is not a reality; this is happening now and will continue as global temperatures continue to rise.

"There is ample evidence that communities are not prepared for the continued increase in frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves.

"Actions are needed now, alongside investments, such as the establishment of early warning systems against heat waves, including the mapping of vulnerable populations and the implementation of interventions designed to increase resilience in hot weather. "

& # 39; Urgent need & # 39;

The lancet also argues that tighter labor regulations are needed to protect workers from extreme heat, and that hospitals and health care systems need to be better equipped to cope with extreme temperatures in order to cope with the situation.

A scientific study conducted earlier this year showed that the "remarkable" summer 2018 in Northern Europe – which had triggered an IFRC alert and a humanitarian response by Red Cross Societies across the continent – was twice as likely due to climate change caused by humans.

"The management of current and future thermal risks should be one of the main priorities of the climate change adaptation program," said Julie Arrighi of the Climate Center, who is leading her work on extreme temperatures.

"There is an urgent need to increase investment in early warning and programs for older people living in cities – the Australian Red Cross REDI service, Telecross, is a good example – and Adapting health systems to manage this pressing risk. "

Better response to extreme temperature forecasts could reduce risk for five billion people – two-thirds of humanity – in heat and cold waves, according to a study conducted earlier this year by the Climate Center and Columbia University.

Last August, volunteers from the Italian Red Cross gave an update on vulnerable elderly people during the "remarkable" heat wave in Europe, which is also potentially deadly. (Photo: Emiliano Albensi / CRI via the IFRC)