Global warming is already affecting people's lives so that emergency action on climate changes cannot be put on hold while the world tackles the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the warning from medical journals around the globe on Monday.
"Global temperature increases and destruction of nature are already threatening health," said an editorial in more than 220 journals before the COP26 climate summit in Nov.
Temperatures have risen by around 1.1 degrees Celsius since the preindustrial era.
This editorial was written by editors-in-chief from over a dozen journals, including the Lancet and the East African Medical Journal.
It stated that heat-related deaths among older people over 65 years have increased by more than 50% in the past 20 years.
"Higher temperatures have led to increased dehydration, renal function loss, dermatological Malignancies, tropical infections and adverse mental health outcomes. Pregnancy complications, allergies and cardiovascular morbidity and death have all been a result."
It also highlighted the declining agricultural production, which "hampering efforts at reducing undernutrition".
It warned that these effects, which are most damaging to the poorest communities, minorities and children, are only the beginning.
According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming could rise by 1.5C on preindustrial levels by 2030.
The editorial warned that this, together with continued loss of biodiversity, could cause "catastrophic harm to the health that will not be reversed".
"Despite the need to be concerned about COVID-19 around the world, we can't wait for the pandemic not to pass to reduce emissions as quickly as possible."
Tedros Adhanom, chief of World Health Organization, stated that the risks presented by climate change could outweigh any single disease in a statement made before the publication of the editorial.
"The COVID-19 epidemic will end, but there's no cure for the climate crisis. We are closer to a safer and healthier future by taking every action to reduce emissions and heat.
The editorial noted that many governments responded to COVID-19's threat with unprecedented funding and called for a "simultaneous emergency response" to the environment crisis. It also highlighted the benefits.
It stated that improving air quality would result in health benefits that easily outweigh the global emissions reduction costs.
They also stated that governments must make fundamental changes in how societies and economies work and how people live.
Agence France-Presse
