60,000 people died in Europe in 2022 from causes attributed to heat. It is some of the most compelling data ever collected Europe 2024 Report by The Lancet the countdown Led by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center – National Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), in collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and 40 other institutions From all over Europe.
This second edition of the report was published in The lancet public health, A scenario emerges that alarms experts. Rachel Loweboss The scalpel Countdown in Europe “Climate change is already causing… Devastation to life and health From people all over Europe.” “It’s time to Take unprecedented measures To reduce these negative effects on health in Europe and around the world.
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The results of the indicators included in the report show that the negative health impacts of climate change are increasing compared to reference levels, and that most impacts exceed previously reported levels.
On the other hand, estimates indicate that Heat-related deaths It has increased in most parts of Europe, with an average increase of 17 deaths per 100 thousand people Between the period 2003-2012 and the period 2013-2022. Indicator 1.1.4: Heat-related deaths In 2022, the recorded temperature was about 1 degree higher than in the mid-19th century, and it is estimated that the summer of 2022 saw more than 60,000 premature heat-related deaths. “As global warming continues, climate projections for Europe indicate a gradual decline in cold-related deaths and a simultaneous increase in heat-related deaths.”
The study also shows that between 1990 and 2022 Danger hours for physical activity Due to the risk of heat stress for both moderate activities (eg cycling or football) and strenuous activities (eg rugby or mountain biking), which may lead to reduced physical activity and thus increased risk of non-communicable diseases.
The report collects data from Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which shows that in Europe, in 2021, 16.3% of people surveyed reported eating only a few types of food. 14.4% reported that they were unable to eat healthy and nutritious foods, and 10.6% reported that they ate less than they thought.
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What is new in the 2024 report is that this index combines FIES data with the frequency of heatwave days and drought months. Through this indicator, the effects of increasing frequency of heatwaves and drought on the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity are tracked. In 2021, Nearly 60 million people suffer from moderate or severe food insecurity in Europe. 11.9 million Of these can be attributed to a greater number of Heatwave days and drought monthsCompared to the average for the period 1981-2010. A higher number of heatwave days was associated with a 1.12% increase in food insecurity (moderate or severe) in 2021; While the increasing frequency of drought led to an increase in the level of food insecurity by 0.47%, compared to the average for the period 1981-2010.
The report states that heat-related deaths were Two times higher in women Of men. In fact, the deaths are attributed to A Unbalanced diet It was higher among women. Added to that Low-income families They were more likely to experiment Food insecurity And exposure to Forest fire smoke It was highest in highly deprived areas. In this sense south of Europe He tends to be looked at most affected Heat-related diseases include forest fires, food insecurity, drought, mosquito-borne diseases and leishmaniasis. Conversely, northern Europe is affected to the same or greater extent Dhamma and ticks, which can spread diseases such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis.
“Climate change is itself a problem Social and environmental justice“, He says Kim van Dalen Researcher Lancet Countdown in Europe, lead author of the report and a postdoctoral researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain. “If we look at European countries, we see that the most disadvantaged communities are particularly affected by climate-related health impacts. At the same time, European countries are also shifting away from the health impacts of our consumption elsewhere, and other parts of the world are suffering from local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as a result of commodities.” and services consumed by Europe.
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