1.1.1 Vulnerability to heat exposure
The 2024 Europe report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change
In 2023, record-breaking global temperatures highlighted the urgent need for climate action to prevent worsening climate-related health impacts. Europe, warming at twice the global average rate, faces significant health threats and unnecessary loss of life. The Lancet Countdown in Europe, established in 2021, aims to drive rapid health-responsive climate actions. Its 2022 report tracked progress using 33 indicators across five domains.
The latest report expands to 42 indicators, emphasizing the negative health impacts of climate change, the slow response of European countries, and missed health improvement opportunities. Enhanced methods and nine new indicators now address issues like leishmaniasis, ticks, food security, and emissions. The report also examines inequality and justice, focusing on at-risk groups in Europe and the continent’s climate crisis responsibility.
