Reduction in Life Expectancy Possibly by Half a Year Due to Climate Change, Research Indicates
In an era where the battle against climate change is increasingly urgent, a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Roy from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and The New School for Social Research, US, has revealed a significant link between climate change and life expectancy.
The research, published in the open-access journal PLOS Climate, evaluates average temperature, rainfall, and life expectancy data from 191 countries from 1940-2020. To gauge the overall severity of climate change, Dr. Roy designed a first-of-its-kind composite climate change index, combining temperature and rainfall data.
The composite climate change index, however, does not fully capture the impacts of specific severe weather events, such as wildfires, tsunamis, and floods. Localised future studies are suggested to address these events.
The index could potentially become a usable metric for the non-scientific public, standardizing the global conversation about climate change. Dr. Roy is hopeful that this standardization will aid in encouraging collaboration and friendly competition among countries to combat the impacts of climate change.
The study uses GDP per capita to control for drastic differences between countries. A 10-point increase in the composite climate change index is expected to decrease the average life expectancy by six months. Interestingly, women and individuals in developing nations are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change on life expectancy.
The study does not directly address the economic costs associated with the impacts of climate change on life expectancy. However, it does suggest that a global temperature increase of 1°C is associated with an average human life expectancy decrease of approximately 0.44 years, or about five months and one week.
The global threat posed by climate change to the well-being of billions underscores the urgent need to address it as a public health crisis, as stated by Dr. Roy. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a changing environment are of particular importance.
Regrettably, the study does not discuss the potential long-term effects of a continued increase in the composite climate change index on life expectancy. Nonetheless, it serves as a powerful reminder of the immediate and far-reaching consequences of climate change, and the urgent need for concerted global action.
