Climate Change Now Kills One Person Every Minute, New Report Warns

A comprehensive new study reveals the devastating toll climate change is already taking on human health worldwide. According to The Lancet’s annual “Countdown on Health and Climate Change” report, extreme heat alone now claims one life every minute—a 23% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s. This alarming statistic comes as world leaders prepare for the UN’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

The report, compiled by researchers globally since 2015, tracks 20 health indicators and found that 13 have worsened in the past year. Beyond deadly heat waves, climate change is fueling a cascade of health crises: wildfire smoke deaths jumped 36% in 2024 compared to the 2003-2012 baseline, while mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever spread to new regions. Severe droughts and heat waves contributed to 124 million additional cases of food insecurity in 2023 alone.

“This Lancet report is a devastating global health audit,” said Harjeet Singh of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation. “Our fossil fuel addiction is killing us by the millions.” The researchers emphasize that climate change is “increasingly destabilising the planetary systems and environmental conditions on which human life depends.”

The timing is particularly sobering as global momentum for climate action appears to be stalling. Major fossil fuel companies have retreated from previous commitments, while the U.S. has begun withdrawing from key international agreements. The report’s authors stress there is “no time left for further delay” in addressing this escalating public health emergency.