2025-11-01 10:00
publication
2025-11-01 10:00
Continued dependence on fossil fuels and failure to adapt to climate change have an impact on people's lives and health, increasing, among other things, the risk of spreading some diseases – according to the latest report by The Lancet.
The Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change focuses on the most important drivers of climate change's impact on people's health and lives, examining them by country using over 50 key indicators. Thirteen of the 20 indicators tracking health risks reached unprecedented levels, according to the ninth study released on Wednesday.
The report indicated that recurring heat waves caused by climate change affect not only the comfort of life, but also the health and life of people, as well as the GDP of countries. It is reported that as a result of global warming, the number of heat-related deaths in the world has increased by 23% since the 1990s, to 546,000. annually, and in the years 2012–2021, approximately 2,300 of them were recorded in Poland, which is more than twice as many as the average from 1990–1999.
In addition, rising temperatures and changes in rainfall have increased the risk of spreading some diseases, including the dangerous dengue virus. According to the report, the average global transmission potential of dengue increased by 49%. since the 1950s.
Exposure to heat also influenced the number of hours worked. In 2024, high temperatures in Poland resulted in the loss of 50.9 million potential working hours, i.e. 61%. more than in the years 1990–1999.
The study also emphasizes that air pollution resulting from the continuous use of fossil fuels causes as many as 2.5 million deaths annually, of which 45,000 were recorded in Poland in 2022 alone. According to the report, a total of USD 956 billion was spent on fossil fuel subsidies in 2023, and Poland allocated a total net amount of USD 2.93 billion for this purpose in 2023.
According to the report, agriculture and society's dietary patterns also affect health, life and climate. In 2022, red meat and dairy products accounted for 47%. all emissions related to the consumption of agricultural products in Poland.
“The report confirms what scientists and doctors have been warning about for a long time: the effects of climate change constitute a significant threat to public health, also in Poland. The consequences of this process also generate huge economic losses resulting from reduced professional activity and lower productivity,” commented Weronika Michalak, director of HEAL Polska, an organization analyzing the impact of environmental factors on health, quoted in the press release. (PAP)
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