Heat waves are linked to more than 150,000 deaths worldwide each year

Within thirty years, heat waves were linked to more than 150,000 deaths per year in 43 countries on five continents, according to a new study published in PLOS medicine.

Lead author Yuming Guo, head of the Climate & Air Quality Research Unit at Monash University, Australia, and colleagues analyzed data related to heat wave deaths that occurred from 1990 to 2019 and found that these extreme weather events claimed the lives of 153,078 people each year . More specifically, heat waves were responsible for 1% of global deaths, or a total of 236 deaths per ten million inhabitants.

“There is evidence that the global warming trend is accelerating, resulting in 19 of the 20 warmest years since 1880 occurring after 2000. In line with climate change, the Lancet Countdown 2022 Report estimated that heat-related mortality among older people aged over 65 increased by 68% between 2000 and 2004 to 2017 and 2021,” the authors wrote. “Direct consequences of a heat wave include heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heatstroke. The decompensated heat stress can also worsen pre-existing chronic conditions, leading to premature deaths and psychiatric disorders.”

“We have observed large clusters of heatwave-related excess deaths in eastern and southern Asia, eastern and southern Europe and areas close to the Gulf of Guinea in Africa over the past three decades,” she added. “This finding highlights the daunting task for international communities to work with local governments in developing specific adaptation strategies to reduce global heatwave vulnerability.”

Of the 153,078 reported deaths, 48.95% of deaths had occurred in Asia, followed by 31.56% in Europe, 13.82% in Africa, 5.37% in the Americas and 0.28% in Oceania. Although Asia reported the highest number of deaths from heat waves, Europe had the most significant mortality rate: 655 deaths per ten million inhabitants. Among European countries, Italy, Malta and Greece recorded the highest death rates between 1990 and 2019.

Most importantly, Guo and his team emphasized that thanks to climate change, no part of the world – whether in the Global North or the Global South – is immune to deaths from heat waves and that the socio-economic costs of heat waves are very are likely to rise in the world. future.

However, a major limitation of this study is that the researchers did not have access to daily mortality data from South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula.

A World Health Organization survey found that of 101 countries, only half had announced national health and climate change plans. To make matters worse, only four countries have sufficient resources to implement these plans.

“Compared to 1850 to 1990, global surface temperature increased by 1.14°C between 2013 and 2022 and is expected to increase by a further 0.41 to 3.41°C between 2081 and 2100. “With a growing understanding of the threat of climate change and the inadequacy of preparation, intergovernmental actions should prioritize building adaptation and resilience, taking into account national/subnational inequalities and the distribution of vulnerable populations,” the authors said.

“These findings point to the potential benefit of government actions to improve adaptation and resilience of the healthcare sector, which explains inequalities between communities,” they concluded.