Climate report reveals record levels of heat-related deaths in 2023

Almost half of global land area experienced extreme drought lasting at least one month in 2023, as climate change drove record levels of heat-related deaths, food insecurity and infectious diseases, a landmark report has found.

The Lancet Countdown’s ninth annual assessment reveals unprecedented threats to global health from rapidly changing climate conditions, according to Dr Marina Romanello, the report’s executive director at University College London.

The study found that 48% of global land area faced extreme drought of at least one month’s duration, whilst people endured 50 more days of health-threatening temperatures than expected without climate change.

This led to 151 million more people facing moderate or severe food insecurity.

Heat-related deaths among over-65s surged 167% compared to 1990s levels – significantly higher than the 65% increase expected from demographic changes alone.

The report also documented a record 6% increase in lost sleep hours compared to 1986-2005 averages.

Despite these impacts, governments and companies continued to invest in fossil fuels, with global energy-related CO2 emissions reaching an all-time high in 2023, up 1.1% from 2022.

The proportion of fossil fuels in global energy systems rose to 80.3% in 2021 for the first time in a decade.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the situation a “health crisis”, whilst UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged action to end “fossil fuel addiction”.