The Impact of Climate Change on Global Health: A Call for Urgent Action

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly recognized as one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time. As the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated, climate change is the single greatest threat facing humanity, with profound implications for health systems worldwide. The impacts are both direct and indirect, affecting everything from heat-related illnesses to the spread of infectious diseases. Research indicates that climate change could lead to approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 due to undernutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress alone.
The climate crisis acts as a health-risk multiplier, exacerbating existing health disparities and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly, and those living in poverty. Extreme weather events—such as heatwaves, floods, and wildfires—are becoming more frequent and severe, leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates globally. Furthermore, the WHO estimates that without immediate action, at least 21 million people could die from climate-related health impacts by 2050.