A new Lancet Countdown report warns that the health impacts of climate change are accelerating globally, outstripping current mitigation and adaptation efforts. While clean energy investments have reached record levels, the rising frequency of heat-related deaths and extreme weather continues to create a growing health emergency.

Rising health risks and mortality

The report highlights a significant surge in climate-driven health threats since the Paris Agreement. In the decade following the agreement, the yearly average of deaths caused by extreme heat rose by nearly 36% compared to the previous ten-year period. During 2023, extreme temperatures were connected to a peak of 710,000 deaths worldwide, with researchers estimating that over 70% of these fatalities were driven by human-induced climate shifts.

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Beyond heat, the report notes several growing dangers:

  • Worsening drought conditions
  • Increased exposure to hydrological extremes
  • Rising food insecurity
  • Expanding spread of infectious diseases

What are the climate change health risks in Canada?

In Canada, the impacts are already being felt by specific demographics. Between 2021 and 2025, infants and adults aged 65 and older experienced roughly 10 heatwave days per year, which is approximately 90% more than the average recorded between 1986 and 2005. This increase in extreme heat can worsen respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

These health shifts also carry significant economic weight. Heat-related deaths among Canadians aged 65 and older resulted in average annual losses of $3.2 million from 2021 to 2025, a 219% increase compared to the 2000–2004 period.

Looking toward future solutions

Despite the challenges, researchers note that climate action acts as a vital health intervention. Global clean energy investment hit US$2.1 trillion in 2025, and many nations are seeing health benefits from reduced fossil fuel air pollution. To address the widening gap, experts are calling for climate change to be formally recognized as a global health emergency. Recommendations include creating national adaptation funds and using public food procurement to lower emissions and improve nutrition.