Heat-related deaths surged by more than 60%, a trend that could further increase as populations are exposed to more frequent heat waves due to climate change.
Higher temperatures have led to an estimated 546,000 heat-related deaths annually from 2012-2021, up from an estimated 335,000 annual deaths due to heat in the 1990s, according to the ninth edition of the Lancet Countdown on Climate Change and Health report, published Wednesday.
That’s approximately one person dying from heat every minute. And it can further increase as vulnerable populations — which the report defines as infants under 1 year old and elderly populations aged over 65 and 75 years old — are exposed to more unusually hot days, or heat waves.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
