The globe is in the midst of a profound climactic transformation, spurring a series of forceful effects on the public health landscape. A recently published report by the World Economic Forum projects that by 2050, climate change could cause up to 14.5 million deaths and $12.
5 trillion in economic losses, in addition to $1.1 trillion in health care expenses, compounding the pressures on public health systems worldwide. Among the weather events studied in the report, floods emerge as the most significant threat to human life, projected to result in approximately 8.
5 million fatalities by 2050. Droughts, often exacerbated by extreme heat, are expected to be the second leading cause of death, with an estimated 3.2 million lives lost.
Meanwhile, heatwaves are forecasted to have the largest economic impact, potentially costing around $7.1 trillion by 2050 due to decreased productivity. The spectrum of varying climate events can pose huge risks for communities.
For instance, rising temperatures contribute to more frequent heatwaves, increasing cases of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, particularly among vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or children. The MENA region is marked as one of the most water-stressed regions in the world, with water scarcity affecting 41 million people in the region, according to a UNICEF report. Meanwhile, around 40 million people in Africa experienced severe drought conditions and in Europe, 62,000 heat-related deaths were recorded.