WHO Warns Climate Crisis Is Already a Deadly Public Health Emergency
The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning that climate change is not only an environmental issue but a growing public health emergency that is already causing deaths worldwide.
Following confirmation that 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, health experts say the consequences of rising temperatures are increasingly being felt across populations, particularly in Europe, which is warming faster than any other WHO region.
According to the agency, the impact on human health is intensifying rapidly. Indicators linked to climate-related health risks — including mortality rates and psychological stress such as climate anxiety — have worsened significantly in recent years.
New initiative to address climate-health risks
In response to the escalating crisis, WHO/Europe has launched the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH), a new initiative aimed at tackling the growing threat posed by climate change to public health systems.
The commission is chaired by former Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and includes 11 leading experts from across Europe. Their mandate is to develop practical recommendations to address the health impacts of climate change.
Jakobsdóttir stressed that the issue must be treated with urgency, describing the climate crisis as both an environmental and health emergency affecting communities across the region and beyond.
Rising deaths linked to extreme heat
The report highlights the deadly consequences of rising temperatures. Nearly half of the global population already lives in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, and Europe accounts for roughly one-third of heat-related deaths worldwide.
Between 2022 and 2023 alone, more than 100,000 people across 35 European countries died due to extreme heat, underscoring the severity of the threat.
Experts say the combination of rising temperatures, worsening air quality and changing ecosystems is directly affecting human health and increasing the burden on healthcare systems.
Vulnerable populations most at risk
Climate change is having the greatest impact on the most vulnerable groups. Health risks linked to the crisis include the spread of infectious diseases, increased heat-related illnesses and growing food insecurity.
Andrew Haines warned that climate change represents a “serious and escalating threat” to global health, with consequences expected to intensify if action is not taken.
Call for urgent action
The newly formed commission has been tasked with proposing strategies to reduce emissions, strengthen adaptation measures, and improve resilience within health systems. It will also focus on reducing inequalities that are exacerbated by climate impacts.
WHO officials emphasise that addressing climate change is essential not only for protecting the environment but also for safeguarding human health, warning that delays in action will result in even greater risks in the years ahead.