As a result of rising temperatures and the emission of pollutants, climate change has become a global crisis. It’s estimated that by 2050, 160 million people will be displaced due to climate-related hazards. Now, a new report from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) has revealed that climate-related fatalities are on the rise.
The report, which was published in the medical journal Nature Climate Change, has found that around 385,000 people died each year as a result of climate-related causes between 2000 and 2016. Moreover, the data from IIASA suggests that heat-related deaths have increased by an average of 40% over that same period of time.
This report highlights the urgent need to address the root cause of climate change: the unsustainable use of fossil fuels. We have to move past the use of coal, oil, and gas as a primary source of energy, and shift to renewable sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower.
Fortunately, there is a growing number of countries and companies joining the fight against climate change. For example, the European Union recently announced a plan to phase-out all fossil fuels by 2050. Additionally, many firms in the technology industry have made the commitment to source their electricity solely from renewable sources.
Ultimately, if we are going to effectively tackle climate change, we must begin by transitioning away from fossil fuels. This will not only help to slow down the process of climate change, but it will also help to avoid more climate-related deaths in the future.