The burden of heat-related mortality attributable to recent human-induced climate change

Abstract

Climate change affects human health, however, there have been no large-scale, systematic efforts to quantify the heat-related human health impacts that have already occurred due to climate change. Here we use empirical data from 732 locations in 43 countries to estimate the mortality burdens associated with the additional heat exposure that has resulted from recent human-5 induced warming, during the period 1991-2018. Across all study countries, we find that 37.0% (range 20.5-76.3%) of heat-related deaths can be attributed to anthropogenic climate change, and that increased mortality is evident on every continent. Burdens varied geographically, but were on the order of dozens to hundreds of deaths per year in many locations. Our findings support the urgent need for more ambitious mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize the public 10 health impacts of climate change.

Estimating the cause-specific relative risks of non-optimal temperature on daily mortality: a two-part modelling approach applied to the Global Burden of Disease Study

“… 21 For many countries, especially in low-latitude regions with high ambient temperatures, daily mortality data are not and will not be available for the foreseeable future, and our estimates provide an initial approximation of temperature-related mortality in these areas. Recently, Vicedo-Cabrera and colleagues 29 quantified heat-related mortality attributable to climate change by linking exposure–response curves for all-cause mortality with modelled temperature due to anthropogenic emissions. Across all countries included in their study, 37·0% (range 20·5–76·3) of warm-season heat-related deaths were attributable to anthropogenic climate change.…”

Urban Heat Island and Its Interaction with Heatwaves: A Review of Studies on Mesoscale

“…UHI has enormous direct and indirect impacts on urban regions and dwellers, such as causing a considerable rise in energy consumption for cooling purposes [4,[14][15][16] and increasing heat-related mortality and morbidity, especially for vulnerable groups such as senior and low-income citizens [4,9,[17][18][19][20]. These impacts are reported to be intensified during heatwave (HW) events, a period of excessively hot days [21][22][23].…”

Understanding the Links between LULC Changes and SUHI in Cities: Insights from Two-Decadal Studies (2001–2020)

“…In fact, extreme heat is a primary contributor to the rise in weather-related human mortality [16][17][18]. Between 1991 and 2018, 37% of the world's heat-related fatalities may have been linked to human-caused global warming [19]. Additionally, because of UHIs, urban rain islands can form, resulting in greater precipitation during the flood season in flood-prone places and leading to waterlogging at a regional scale [20].…”