From deadly storms to searing heat waves, the world is facing record-breaking threats to health due to climate change, warns the latest Lancet Countdown report.
People over 65 years old are dying much more due to heat, 167% higher than in the 1990s. And high temperatures are also affecting labor productivity, with $835 billion in potential income losses in 2023.
Many parts of the world are also experiencing enormous amounts of rainfall leading to heavy flooding that puts people more at risk of drowning and other injuries as well as the spread of infectious diseases. This week, Spain experienced its worst flooding in decades after being hit by a year’s worth of rainfall in just a day. The Philippines, a typhoon-prone country, saw an increase in leptospirosis cases this year compared to 2023.
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.
