Alarming news

WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas shared the report titled "State of Climate Services for Health 2023," which was prepared under the coordination of the WMO with contributions from the World Health Organization (WHO) and many other international organizations.

According to the report, which focuses on the health sector this year, the effects of climate change threaten to reverse years of progress toward better health and well-being, especially in the most vulnerable communities.

Extreme weather conditions and poor air quality are increasing the need for specific climate-related information and services to support the health sector in the face of various infectious diseases, as well as food and water insecurity.

Climate change is damaging the determinants of health while increasing pressure on health systems. This situation also poses a threat to reverse decades of progress made in improving human health and well-being, particularly in the most vulnerable societies.

560 medium- to large-scale natural disasters are projected to occur each year

According to the report, it is projected that 560 medium- to large-scale natural disasters will occur annually worldwide by 2030, which is noted to be equivalent to an average of 1.5 events per day.

It is noted that early warning systems have a vital impact on preventing the negative effects of climate change, and that in countries where these systems are inadequate, mortality rates are 8 times higher than in other countries.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that health risks will increase in the future due to more intense and frequent extreme heat, hurricanes, storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires, while projecting that more than 50 percent of excess deaths caused by climate change by 2050 will occur in Africa.

While concerns regarding air quality, climate change, and health are considered interconnected, climate change mitigation actions that lead to a reduction in air pollution can save lives.

In 2019, air pollution rose from the fifth to the fourth leading risk factor for death globally, while other widely accepted risk factors for chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and malnutrition increased their impact.

Heatwaves cause an estimated 7 million premature deaths annually while also exacerbating air pollution.

It is estimated that approximately 489,000 people died due to extreme heat between 2000 and 2019, with 45 percent of these deaths occurring in Asia and 36 percent in Europe.

It is estimated that extreme temperature conditions led to more than 60,000 deaths across 35 European countries during the summer months of 2022.

"The climate crisis is a health crisis"

WMO Secretary-General Taalas stated, "Almost the entire world experienced heatwaves this year. The onset of El Niño weather events in 2023 will significantly increase the likelihood of further temperature records being broken. This situation will trigger more extreme warming in many parts of the world and in the oceans, exacerbating this problem."

Touching upon the importance of increasing investment and cooperation in the fight against climate change, Taalas noted that there is great potential to progress faster in this regard by increasing the impact of climate science and services.

Responding to the AA correspondent's question, "The effects of the global climate crisis are also being felt in Gaza. Abeer Butmeh, Coordinator of the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network, stated that Israeli attacks will have serious long-term environmental consequences. The people of Gaza are facing difficulties in accessing water resources, in particular, due to the attacks. Do you think Israel's attacks have made the situation in Gaza even more dire?" Taalas noted that water availability in this geography is limited and that high temperatures are experienced.

Noting that challenges related to water and high temperatures, especially in the summer months, make the situation even more complex in Gaza and Israel, Taalas stated that this is a region in need of water diplomacy regarding the use of limited water resources.

Taalas also mentioned that desalination methods could be used to produce water for the population in Gaza, but that this is quite expensive.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, whose views were included in the report, stated, "The climate crisis is a health crisis that leads to more severe and unpredictable weather events, fuels disease outbreaks, and contributes to higher rates of non-communicable diseases."

News Source: 12punto