View: Urgent need for decisive and ambitious actions for emissions reduction at COP28
COP28 is underway and countries across the globe recommit themselves to a sustainable planet, the call for immediate and resolute action to tackle the climate crisis has reached an unprecedented level of urgency. Recent data from credible sources starkly portray the detrimental impact of climate change on worldwide health and well-being.
It's imperative that we respond decisively to this crisis.
The Lancet Countdown projections paint a dire future, estimating a staggering 6.7 million heat-related deaths annually by 2050 due to extreme heat, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. Simultaneously, air pollution, responsible for around 2.4 million premature deaths yearly, primarily impacts low and middle-income countries, signalling an urgent need for intervention.
The Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report echoes this alarming narrative.
Global emissions are propelling us toward surpassing the critical 1.5°C warming threshold, triggering catastrophic consequences such as rising sea levels, intensified extreme weather events, and large-scale displacement. Recent UN climate data further emphasizes this distressing trend, demanding immediate and concerted action.
The perilous state of our environment becomes evident in the polluted air we breathe.
Major cities across the world grapple with alarming levels of air pollution, exacerbated by industrial discharges, vehicle emissions, and extensive construction. Recent research report a 10–25% surge in respiratory illnesses due to these factors.
Toxic pollution identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a significant risk factor for global non-communicable diseases contributes significantly to various health issues.
