As the planet continues to warm, the effects of climate change on human health are becoming increasingly concerning. The past two years, 2023 and 2024, have seen record-breaking temperatures, with the planet breaching 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. While some health impacts are easy to track, such as deaths from heat stroke, others are more insidious and long-term. Prolonged exposure to heatwaves and droughts can lead to kidney disease, poor sleep quality, and altered gene expression, which can have a cumulative effect on health. Research suggests that fetuses exposed to environmental stressors in the womb are more likely to develop high blood pressure as adults, decades later. The development of a warming global climate means that the health burden may be greater than current models can quantify, making it essential for researchers and public-health officials to re-evaluate their assessments. The human body’s limits in response to extreme heat are not fully understood, and more research is needed to address the unforeseen consequences of climate change.
Despite decades of warnings, the full extent of climate change’s crippling impact on human health remains unclear.
