The 2025 report confirms that climate change’s assault on human health has reached alarming new levels:
Thirteen of 20 indicators tracking health threats are flashing red at record highs.
Heat-related mortality, now estimated at 546,000 deaths annually in the 2012-21 period, has climbed 63% since the 1990s.
Deaths linked to wildfire smoke pollution hit a new peak in 2024, while fossil fuel combustion overall remained responsible for 2.52 million deaths in 2022 alone.
Thirteen of 20 indicators tracking health threats are flashing red at record highs.
Heat-related mortality, now estimated at 546,000 deaths annually in the 2012-21 period, has climbed 63% since the 1990s.
Deaths linked to wildfire smoke pollution hit a new peak in 2024, while fossil fuel combustion overall remained responsible for 2.52 million deaths in 2022 alone.
Extreme weather increasingly drives food insecurity.
This accelerating health crisis unfolds against a backdrop of faltering political will.
The report documents governmental retreats from climate commitments.
Yet, within this sobering assessment lies a quiet but potentially pivotal shift.