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Climate Change and Health: 4 Escalating Challenges for the Future

Every year, delegates, diplomats and activists gather at the Conference of the Parties (COP) with a shared mission – to drive meaningful action in the fight against climate change. As COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, drew to a protracted and dramatic conclusion, key players in the health community might be forgiven for succumbing to feelings of dismay and frustration.

Though health impacts ripple through every facet of climate change, health enjoyed little critical attention at COP29. Many discussions were held and promises for future discussions made, but little concrete action came out of the latest COP. As climate change worsens and crises become more frequent and furious, its effects will be felt not only in the earth and changes in the weather, but also in people’s health and wellbeing.

In this article, we’ll look at how climate change exacerbates four challenges that travellers, insurers and assistance companies face.

How climate change impacts health

The climate crisis is also a crisis of health. The effects of climate change – extreme weather, record-breaking temperatures and shifts in ecology – pose dire threats to human health and survival.

Non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders are exacerbated by the effects of climate change, while changes in the patterns of communicable, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases threaten to overwhelm health systems and facilities.

As the effects of climate change worsen, health facilities may struggle to keep up with the increased demand for healthcare.

Climate change doesn’t just lead to sudden and dramatic disasters, but also the steady dismantling of health-critical resources, such as clean and safe water, a sustainable food supply, pharmaceutical products and environmental buffers against zoonotic diseases.

As climate change worsens, its effects will result in undernutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress alone causing approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. Climate change will also come with a direct health cost of about $2-4 billion per year by 2030.

While humankind figures out how to mitigate climate change, we need healthcare systems and assistance companies that can respond nimbly to these new and intensifying threats.

Future health challenges

The World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks Report 2024 puts extreme weather events and critical changes to earth systems as risk #1 and #2 on the list of biggest risks for the next ten years. By 2050, the WEF estimates that climate change will cause 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses.

Here are four key challenges that companies, travellers and insurers will need to deal with in an ever-warming world.

Managing heat stress

2024 is on track to be the hottest year in record. Last year, 2023 was the hottest year on record. Do you see the trend?

According to the World Economic Forum, more than 70% of the global workforce is at risk from severe heat. With more intense heatwaves on the horizon and steadily climbing average temperatures, heat stress and heat-induced illnesses are a reality – even in regions not traditionally thought of as hot.

It’s estimated that by 2030, more than 2% of total working hours worldwide will be lost due to excessive heat.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and other heat-related illnesses, which can severely impact an individual’s health. Make sure workers look out for symptoms of heat stress, so they can seek medical treatment if necessary. For more information on how to adapt your occupational health to a hotter world, read our article on Managing Heat Stress.

Dealing with more intense natural disasters

Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and unpredictable due to climate change. In 2024 alone, we’ve seen a significant increase in the incidence of floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. This trend is expected to continue, posing serious risks to communities and travellers worldwide.

According to the United Nations, the number of natural disasters has increased fivefold in as many decades. These events not only cause immediate harm but also have long-term impacts on health, infrastructure, and economies. Being prepared is crucial.

Over the last 30 years, the number of climate-related disasters has tripled.

Natural disasters can result in physical injuries, mental health issues, and the spread of diseases. It’s essential for individuals and organisations to have emergency response plans in place, as well as a trusted assistance partner that can organise responses on the ground.

For more information on how to prepare for natural disasters and ensure health readiness, read our article on Preparing for Natural Disasters.

More widespread and longer-lasting vector-borne risks

As temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, the risk of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Zika virus is increasing. According to the WHO, vector-borne diseases like these account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases and cause over 700,000 deaths annually.

Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall create ideal breeding conditions for vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks. This also means that regions previously unaffected by these diseases are now at risk. By 2070, an additional 4.7 billion people may be exposed to malaria and dengue.

More water-contamination and waterborne diseases

With more extreme weather events and higher heat come more waterborne diseases. Floods and storms can lead to waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and E. coli contaminating water, while higher temperatures create more favourable conditions for a variety of bacteria.

Natural disasters often lead to disruptions in clean water supply or stagnant pools of water, where diseases and bacteria can breed.

With symptoms like severe dehydration and gastrointestinal issues, waterborne diseases can have serious consequences if left untreated. Every year, waterborne diseases result in 3.5 million deaths. Many of these diseases are treatable with antibiotics, but as incidents rise and these diseases become more widespread, so does antibiotic-resistance.

Preparing for climate change and its effects

Without urgent and incisive action, the effects of climate change are sure to worsen and result in even more health risks – not only in climate-vulnerable regions, but around the world. Organisations and individuals need to be prepared to face more dangerous conditions and protect themselves from risk and loss.

One way to prepare is to ensure you have an effective medical assistance partner that can help in case of an emergency. Assist360 specialises in operating in complex areas where vector- and waterborne diseases, heat-induced illness and natural disasters are constant risks.