WHO Reveals Climate Crisis Takes Millions Of Lives Every Year

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that the climate crisis takes millions of lives every year. This was conveyed based on a 2025 report from a partner, namely the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.

"Climate crisis is a health crisis. Every fraction of the level of warming costs lives and livelihoods," said Assistant General for Health and Disease Prevention and Treatment Promotion at WHO, Dr. Jeremy Farrar, quoted from his official website, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.

Through Lancet's latest report, several surprising facts have been found regarding the climate crisis that threatens many lives, as follows.

1. Increase heat-related deaths

Heat-related death rates have increased by 23 percent since the 1990s, prompting total heat-related deaths to an average of 546 thousand deaths per year.

The average person exposed to 16 dangerous heat days in 2024 will not be expected without climate change, with older babies and adults facing a total of 20 days of heat waves. This has increased 40 times over the past 20 years.

2. Forest fires and the impact of drought

Drought and heat waves are associated with an additional 124 million people facing moderate to severe food insecurity by 2023.

3. Economic tension

Heat exposure caused 640 milliliters of potential lost working hours in 2024, with productivity losses equivalent to 1.09 trillion dollars. Heat-related death costs among older adults also reached 261 billion dollars or around IDR 4.3 trillion.

With these findings, it is very necessary to handle a climate crisis that is fast and effective. One of the main things is to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and replace them with renewable energy.

"It is rapidly eliminating fossil fuels for clean renewable energy and efficient energy use remains the strongest lever to slow climate change and protect life," explained Lancet Countdown Executive Director at University College London, Dr. Marina Romanello.

Not only that, Marina also reminded to switch to healthier diets to sustainable agricultural systems to better face the climate crisis in the future.

At the same time, turning to a healthier, more climate-friendly diet and a more sustainable agricultural system will largely reduce pollution, greenhouse gases, and deforestation, potentially saving more than ten million lives per year, Marina concluded.