Rising global heat killing one person a minute: Report
What's the story
The rising global heat is killing one person every minute, a report has revealed. It said that the widespread use of fossil fuels also causes toxic air pollution, wildfires, and the spread of diseases like dengue fever, and millions of people die each year as a result of the failure to address global heating. The study was conducted by 128 experts from over 70 academic institutions and UN agencies, including University College London (UCL) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Death toll
Heat-related deaths have increased by 23% since the 1990s
The 2025 edition of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change notes a 23% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, with an average of 546,000 such deaths annually between 2012 and 2021. Professor Ollie Jay from University of Sydney said this figure is "a really startling number" and emphasized that "every heat-related death is preventable." The report also highlights that extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, droughts, and disease outbreaks are no longer distant warnings but current realities.
Economic impact
Governments spent nearly $1 trillion on fossil fuel subsidies
Despite the harm, in 2023, governments provided $956 billion in fossil fuel subsidies, far exceeding the $300 billion pledged at the UN climate summit COP29 in 2024. According to the report, reduced coal burning has saved around 400 lives per day over the last decade, and renewable energy output is rapidly increasing. However, scientists argue that a healthy future is unattainable if fossil fuels continue to be subsidized at current rates.
Emission concerns
Fossil fuel giants' production projections threaten climate goals
The report also states that the world's largest fossil fuel companies have increased their production projections, leading to emissions three times higher than those compatible with the Paris Agreement's target of limiting warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. Commercial banks are backing this expansion with a five-year high of $611 billion invested in fossil fuels in 2024. Dr. Marina Romanello from UCL warned that continued financing of fossil fuels makes a healthy future impossible.
Future prospects
Solutions exist to avert climate catastrophe, experts say
Dr. Romanello said solutions exist to avoid a climate catastrophe. These include clean energy, city adaptation, and healthier diets. She added that optimism comes from local communities and authorities who are witnessing climate impacts firsthand and taking action. "They are seeing the impacts with their own eyes and are stepping up because they just become undeniable, but we must keep up the momentum," she said.