Yahoo News Climate change ‘could kill more than 250,000 people per year’
Climate change could lead to more than 250,000 extra deaths per year this century – due to factors such as heat stress, starvation and malaria.
In fact, the World Health Organisation’s estimate that climate change will lead to more than 250,000 extra deaths per year is actually ‘conservative’ according to a new study.
The review of studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the WHO’s estimate failed to take into account factors such as population displacement, and reduction in farm productivity.
It also fails to take into account deaths due to disruptions in health services tied to extreme weather, the report found.
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Climate change could also force up to 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, according to World Bank estimates.
The report says, ‘Climate change is causing injuries, illnesses and deaths, with the risks projected to increase substantially with additional climate change, threatening the health of many millions of people.
‘The pervasive threats to health posed by climate change demand decisive actions from health professionals and governments to protect the health of current and future generations.’
