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CoverStory

report by Lancet, touted as world’s old- other vital organ. These effects accumulate over time,
est and most prestigious medical journal and into adulthood, with global deaths attributable to
released recently this month serves ambient fine particulate matter (PM) remaining at 2·9
as the last call for the world and India, million in 2016 and total global air pollution deaths
A particular. Battling rising popula- reaching 7 million.
in
tion, poverty, poor healthcare and malnutrition, Later in life, families and livelihoods are put at
the threat is that much more challenging for India. risk from increases in the frequency and severity of
The 2019 report presents an annual update of 41 indica- extreme weather conditions, with women among the
tors across five key domains: climate change impacts, most vulnerable across a range of social and cultural
exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, plan- contexts.
ning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions
and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and
public and political engagement. The report Eight of the 10 hottest
represents the findings and consensus of 35 lead-
ing academic institutions and UN agencies from
every continent. years on record have
Understanding these decisions as a choice between
one of two pathways — one that continues with the occurred in past decade.
business as usual response and one that redirects to a
future that remains “well below 2°C”— helps to bring Such rapid change is
the importance of recognizing the effects of climate
change and the necessary response to the forefront. primarily driven by the
The world has observed a 1°C temperature rises above
pre-industrial levels.
Eight of the ten hottest years on record have combustion of fossil
occurred in the past decade. Such rapid change is
primarily driven by the combustion of fossil fuels, fuels, consumed at a
consumed at a rate of 171,000 kg of coal, 116,000,000 L
of gas, and 186,000 litres of oil. rate of 171,000 kg of
EFFECT ON NEW BORN coal, 116,000,000L of
A child born today will experience a world that is
more than four degrees warmer than the pre-indus- gas and 186,000L of oil
trial average, with climate change impacting human
health from infancy and adolescence to adulthood
and old age. Across the world, children are among
the worst affected by climate change. Downward HOW INDIA IS AFFECTED
trends in global yield potential for all major crops Globally, 77 per cent of countries experienced an
tracked since 1960 threaten food production and food increase in daily population exposure to wildfires
security, with infants often the worst affected by the from 2001–14 to 2015–18. India and China sustained
potentially permanent effects of under nutrition. the largest increases, with an increase of over 21
Children are among the most susceptible to diar- million exposures in India and 17 million exposures in
rheal disease and experience the most severe effects China over this time period.
of dengue fever. Trends in climate suitability for dis- In low-income countries, almost all economic
ease transmission are particularly concerning, with 9 losses from extreme weather events are uninsured,
of the 10 most suitable years for the transmission of placing a particularly high burden on individuals
dengue fever on record occurring since 2000. Simi- and households. Temperature rise and heat waves
larly, since an early 1980s baseline, the number of are increasingly limiting the labour capacity of vari-
days suitable for Vibrio (a pathogen responsible for ous populations. In 2018, 133·6 billion potential work
part of the burden of diarrhoeal disease) has doubled, hours were lost globally, 45 billion more than the
and global suitability for coastal Vibrio cholera has 2000 baseline, and southern areas of the USA lost
increased by 9·9 per cent. 15–20 per cent of potential daylight work hours
Through adolescence and beyond, air pollution — during the hottest month of 2018.
principally driven by fossil fuels, and exacerbated by From 1990 to 2018, populations in every re-
climate change — damages the heart, lungs, and every gion have become more vulnerable to heat and

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