How will climate change affect our health?
The climate crisis isn’t just an environmental issue; it is profoundly reshaping healthcare systems and affecting public health globally.
As climate change intensifies, the demand for medical resources grows, straining systems already vulnerable to increasing temperatures, extreme weather events, and emerging diseases. Healthcare, while essential, contributes to 4-5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and in 2019, 62% of these came from supply chains. Reducing emissions within healthcare offers a dual benefit: by addressing their own carbon footprints, healthcare systems can support climate mitigation and improve population health.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has been a model in this area since 2008, showcasing how comprehensive healthcare footprinting (measuring and analysing the carbon emissions and environmental impacts of healthcare activities, including those from healthcare facilities, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other related activities), accounting and mitigation efforts can help reduce emissions worldwide.
The Unfolding Health Crisis Behind Climate Change.
Climate change is evident in more frequent heatwaves and air quality issues. They’re happening now. More frequent heatwaves, severe flooding, and worsening air quality are direct consequences of a changing climate that impact health. For instance, In the UK, the unprecedented 40℃ temperatures during the summer of 2022 resulted in record heat-related deaths, highlighting the urgent need for heat adaptation strategies. Additionally, poor air quality is a significant driver of respiratory issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which affects over 12 million people in the UK. Air pollution was officially recognised as a cause of death in 2013. Climate change also brings mental health challenges, with rising levels of eco-anxiety, stress, and depression stemming from environmental uncertainties.
Globally, the impacts are even more severe, especially in low and middle-income countries. These regions face a rise in heat-related illnesses and vector-borne diseases (diseases resulting from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding arthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) like malaria and dengue as warming expands their ranges. Additionally, climate instability threatens food security. In the UK, reliance on imported food heightens susceptibility to shortages, particularly for fresh fruit and vegetables, making a nutritious diet more difficult to maintain during climate disruptions.
While everyone is at risk, vulnerable individuals bear the brunt of climate-related health issues. As the British Medical Association noted, “catastrophic winter pressure” places extraordinary stress on the UK’s healthcare system, illustrating that both seasonal cold and extreme heat drive up hospital admissions and intensify workforce shortages. These strains highlight the urgent need for climate-resilient healthcare.
Climate Justice: Why Equity Matters in Climate Health Responses.
As climate impacts grow, certain groups face disproportionate health risks: children, those with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals in confined settings like prisons and schools. These disparities raise critical questions about justice. Climate events further strain healthcare resources, leading to delays in treatment and increased mortality rates. Additionally, healthcare workers face significant mental health risks, as repeated climate emergencies add to burnout and stress, threatening care quality. Building resilient systems is essential to safeguard both patient care and provider well-being.
Globally, climate change disproportionately affects low-income and marginalized communities. Developing regions, in particular, experience heightened health risks due to limited healthcare access, increased environmental hazards, and lower adaptive capacity. Addressing these inequities is essential for achieving climate justice. Targeted international investments can bridge these gaps, creating more equitable outcomes. Policies must prioritise these vulnerable communities by ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and food, while minimising their exposure to climate impacts.
At the “Be Curious 2023” event, we engaged over 1,600 attendees from Yorkshire with the theme “Eat a Rainbow Every Day!” to promote a plant-based diet and highlight the vital links between food, health, and the environment.
A Call for Climate Resilient Healthcare Systems
There is a growing consensus: the climate crisis is also a health crisis. For the first time, COP29 will dedicate a day to health, highlighting new initiatives aimed at making health a permanent and sustainable focus in future climate negotiations. This interconnectedness between climate and health underscores the need for holistic strategies that treat sustainability and public health as mutually reinforcing goals.
In the UK, the NHS has committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2040, a significant step toward integrating climate resilience into healthcare. Yet, important questions remain: How will the NHS implement new care delivery models to minimise patient journeys to hospitals while maintaining high-quality care? Additionally, what steps are being taken to green the NHS fleet, such as introducing zero-emission emergency vehicles, and how will these efforts be tracked over time?
Emerging areas of research provide further insights. The link between climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an example, as climate-related stressors may increase AMR risks, compounding a global health threat projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Furthermore, the mental health implications of climate change warrant urgent study, particularly as eco-anxiety rises among the population.
A Future of Sustainable and Equitable Healthcare
By prioritising sustainability and equity, healthcare systems can effectively address climate impacts and support healthier populations. Building climate-resilient healthcare is an opportunity to create a healthier, more equitable society for all. At COP29 I would like to see tangible commitments to integrate health into climate strategies, including strengthening international partnerships for equitable healthcare access.
Could you imagine a zero-emission ambulance responding to emergencies in your neighborhood? Powered by renewable energy; delivering care while protecting the planet.
Written by Yuanyuan Dong, Postgraduate Researcher in Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science & Nutrition.
Featured image from iStock Ecology concept: “Fragile” shaped forest viewed from above. Computer generated, and lit with global radiosity. Subtle grain texture added – leonard_c.