Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
The 2026 Lancet Countdown report is sounding the alarm: climate change is accelerating health harms faster than the world is responding. Heat-related deaths have surged nearly 36% since the Paris Agreement, with 710,000 deaths recorded in 2023 alone. The report calls for climate change to be formally recognized as a global health emergency ahead of COP31.
The 2026 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change — produced by 146 researchers from over 100 institutions across 30+ countries — paints a sobering picture: climate-related health harms are outpacing the global response. Tracking 54 indicators, the report finds that heat-related deaths, worsening droughts, and exposure to extreme weather events are all on the rise, with the burden falling hardest on the world's most vulnerable populations.
But it's not all bad news. Global clean energy investment hit a record $2.1 trillion in 2025, and countries reducing fossil fuel pollution are already preventing thousands of premature deaths annually. More nations are also adopting climate-resilient health systems, early warning tools, and national adaptation plans — proof that climate action doubles as a health intervention.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: The report urges world leaders heading into COP31 to formally recognize climate change as a global health emergency and embed health considerations into every climate policy decision — from emissions cuts to adaptation financing. The message is clear: protecting the planet and protecting public health are the same fight.
