The impact of climate change on health if carbon emissions remain high, could be up to twice as deadly as cancer in some parts of the world, including Pakistan, according to new data released Friday by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate Impact Lab.
\nThe new data shows the need to act quickly, not only to mitigate climate change but also to adapt to its consequences.
\nFor instance, in Faisalabad, Pakistan, even with moderate mitigation, additional deaths due to climate change would average 36 per 100,000 people each year between 2020-2039, according to the data. Without substantially expanding adaptation efforts, Faisalabad could expect annual climate change-related death rates to nearly double, reaching 67 deaths per 100,000 by mid-century. An increment almost as deadly as strokes, currently Pakistan\u2019s third leading cause of death.
\n\u201cAs we face the punishing impacts of global climate change it can be easy to wonder whether efforts to reduce emissions by individual countries, states, or cities really make a difference. This platform shows the direct role these efforts play in shaping our collective future,\u201d Climate Impact Lab\u2019s Hannah Hess, Associate Director at Rhodium Group.
\nIn Dhaka, Bangladesh, where under a scenario of very high emissions by 2100, additional deaths due to climate change could rise to nearly twice the country\u2019s current annual death rate from all cancers, and 10 times its annual road traffic fatalities, according to the data.
\n\u201cBecause of human action, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is reaching dangerous levels, driving Earth\u2019s temperatures higher and amplifying the frequency of intensity of extreme events\u201d, says the newly launched Human Climate Horizons platform, adding that without concerted and urgent action, climate change will further exacerbate inequalities, and uneven development.
\nBuilding on the analyses of 2020, 2021 and 2022 Human Development Reports \u2013 and fed by an evolving stream of frontier research \u2013 the data shows how climate change can impact people\u2019s lives \u2013 from mortality to livelihoods, and energy use.
\nAlthough higher temperatures and a warmer climate put cardiovascular and respiratory systems under stress everywhere, outcomes will vary between places, according to communities that have the resources to adapt and those that do not. The data shows that climate change could increase mortality rates in Faisalabad, Pakistan by near 67 deaths per 100,000 population \u2013 causing more fatalities than strokes, the country\u2019s third leading cause of death.
\nIn Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, however, higher incomes could keep the death toll to 35 per 100,000, which is still deadlier than Alzheimer\u2019s disease \u2013 the sixth leading cause of death globally.
\nSince the late 19th century, the earth\u2019s average temperature has risen by nearly 1.2\u00b0C, changing the entire surface area of the planet, according to the research.
\nHowever, billions live in regions that have already experienced warming greater than the global average.
\nAs an example, the platform pointed to Maracaibo, Venezuela, noting that in the 1990s it averaged 62 annual days with temperatures exceeding 35\u00b0C. However, by mid-century, that number will likely soar to 201 days.
\nElectricity availability and fuels used to generate it to power air conditioners and heaters, play a crucial role in our ability to cope with extreme temperatures, said UNDP.<\/p>\n
The impact of climate change differs across sectors of the economy \u2013 Human Climate Horizons<\/p>\n
Yet, the impacts of climate change on energy use will vary locally, as individuals, communities and businesses adapt to conditions using available resources.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, for example, electricity consumption in response to warmer temperatures is projected to increase by roughly one-third of current household consumption in Indonesia. This will require critical additional infrastructure planning.<\/p>\n
More frequent and severe temperature extremes also impact livelihoods, affecting the ability to perform tasks and influencing work intensity and duration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impact of climate change differs across sectors of the economy with workers in high-risk, weather-exposed industries like agriculture, construction, mining and manufacturing most affected\u201d, according to platform data.<\/p>\n
In Niamey, Niger, in sectors such as construction, mining and manufacturing, excessive heat was responsible for 36 fewer working hours annually, taking a 2.5 per cent toll on the country\u2019s future GDP.<\/p>\n
In Niger, as in many other parts of the Sahel, climate shocks have resulted in recurring droughts with devastating impacts on the region\u2019s already vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n
Climate change are not evenly distributed globally, they will generate a significant uptick in inequalities over the coming years and decades.<\/p>\n
But by highlighting that the future is not predetermined, UNDP hopes the information can empower people everywhere, to step up climate action.<\/p>\n
The Human Climate Horizons mission is to ensure equal access to data on future impacts, inform decision-making and help everyone understand the human c
\nMeanwhile, UNDP has also launched the How Just Transition Can Deliver the Paris Agreement report this week, highlighting the need to embrace the \u201cgreen revolution\u201d \u2013 or risk increasing social inequality, civil unrest, economic loss.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the UN climate conference, COP27, which kicks off on Sunday in in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the report spotlights the importance of \u201cfair and equitable\u201d transitioning to meeting the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement.<\/p>\n
From providing workers with new green economy skills and access to social protection to ensuring that countries lay out a clear pathway to a net-zero future, UNDP chief Achim Steiner said the report provides \u201creal-world insights into how to accelerate momentum around a just transition that is fair and equitable for the energy sector and beyond\u201d.<\/p>\n
The report analyses both enhanced short-term climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and long-term strategies in which countries lay out plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.<\/p>\n
Encouragingly, 72 per cent of nations with enhanced NDCs that refer to a just transition are linking them to socio-economic considerations, while 66 per cent are proposing concrete actions and measures factoring in climate justice.<\/p>\n
However, they fail to make linkages to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or gender equality in either short or long-term climate plans \u2013 missing a significant opportunity, UNDP said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs climate change intensifies and the world faces an immense energy crunch\u2026decoupling from fossil fuels and investing in the green energy infrastructure of tomorrow\u2026[is] the only logical economic choice\u201d, said Steiner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The impact of climate change on health if carbon emissions remain high, could be up to twice as deadly as cancer in some parts of the world, including Pakistan, according to new data released Friday by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate Impact Lab. The new data shows the need to act quickly, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[1433,435],"class_list":{"0":"post-293465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorial","7":"tag-cancer","8":"tag-climate-change"},"yoast_head":"\n