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9 July 2021.
Introduction:
As per a study published by Lancet Planetary Health Journal, about 740,000 access deaths in India annually are linked to abnormal hot and cold temperatures due to climate change.
Highlights
- Study was conducted by an international team, led by researchers at Monash University in Australia.
- Study highlights, deaths related to hot temperatures has increased in all regions from 2000 to 2019. It indicates, global warming due to climate change will further increase the mortality figure in future.
- Mortality and temperature data was studied by team worldwide from 2000 to 2019. This period accounted for an increase in temperature by 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade.
Highlights of the study:
- As per the Lancet journal, more than five million extra deaths in a year can be linked to non-optimal temperatures, globally.
- Number of deaths per year in India is linked with abnormal cold temperatures is 655,400.
- Number of deaths in India linked with high temperatures is 83,700.
- It underlines, 9.43 per cent of global deaths can be linked to cold and hot temperatures. It will account for 74 excess deaths for every 100,000 people. Most of the deaths will be caused by cold exposure.
- It further highlights, Global warming may “slightly reduce the number of temperature-related deaths, because of lessening in cold-related mortality,”. However, mortality burden is going to increase in long-term because of climate change.
- There are geographic differences in impact of non-optimal temperatures on mortality. Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa are having highest heat and cold-related excess death rates.
- Cold-related death has decreased 0.51 per cent from 2000 to 2019, while heat-related death increased 0.21 per cent. Thus, net mortality has decreased due to cold and hot temperatures.