Climate Change linked to nearly 100,000 deaths from 2023 Heatwaves, global study finds

Melbourne: Nearly 100,000 deaths from 2023’s unprecedented heatwaves were linked to human-induced climate change, according to an Australian-led global study.

The study released Tuesday found that unprecedented heatwaves in 2023 caused an estimated 178,486 excess deaths worldwide, equivalent to 23 deaths per million, with more than half attributable to manmade climate change.

The international team of researchers analysed climate and mortality data from 2,013 locations in 67 countries and regions, showing that about 54 per cent of the heatwave-related deaths — nearly 97,000 fatalities — were attributable to human-induced climate change.

The researchers found the 2023 heatwaves occurred during the hottest year on record, 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Southern Europe recorded the highest 2023 heatwave death rate at 120 per million, followed by Eastern and Western Europe, according to researchers from Australia’s Monash University and global partners, Xinhua news agency reported.

Heatwave-related deaths were concentrated in subtropical and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, where prolonged extreme temperatures exacerbated cardiovascular, respiratory and other chronic health conditions, the study said.

The findings highlight “the urgent need for adaptive public health interventions and climate mitigation strategies to reduce future mortality burdens in the context of increasing global warming,” it said.

According to government report released on September 15, millions of Australian homes will be at risk from rising sea levels and heat-related deaths will more than double if global warming exceeds 3 degrees Celsius.

Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA), which was released by the Australian Climate Service (ACS), found that 1.5 million coastal homes would be at risk from rising sea levels by 2050 if warming exceeds 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

By 2090, the report said more than 3 million homes will be at risk from rising sea levels if warming exceeds 3 degrees Celsius.

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for driving a car or coal for heating a building, for example. Clearing land and cutting down forests can also release carbon dioxide. Agriculture, oil and gas operations are major sources of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main sectors causing greenhouse gases.

IANS