While there has been much discussion about the impact of climate change on nature and the global economy, some of the most pressing consequences of the earth’s rising temperatures will be on human health and the global healthcare system. This paper aims to quantify the health consequences of climate change, both in terms of the health outcomes themselves (mortality and healthy lives lost) and
in terms of the economic costs to the healthcare system. Six major climate-driven event categories were analysed as important drivers of negative health impacts, including floods, droughts, heat waves, tropical storms, wildfires and rising sea levels.
The findings of the analysis showed that by 2050, climate change is likely to cause an additional
14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. Climate-induced impacts will account for a further $1.1 trillion in extra costs to healthcare systems, creating a significant additional burden on already strained infrastructures and medical and human resources.