Climate change is killing hundreds of thousands — a kidney specialist’s concerns

Résumé détaillé

Climate change is driving alarming health impacts, with heat-related deaths reaching 710,000 in 2023. Chronic kidney disease is particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, which disrupts the body's balance. While global leaders focus less on climate-health links, local actions like cleaner energy & urban cooling offer immediate health benefits and underscore the urgency of addressing warming effects.

The evidence that climate change threatens human health has never been stronger. Yet a new report suggests that world leaders are giving less attention to its health consequences in international political debate.

The 2026 Lancet Countdown report estimates that heat was associated with 710,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, with around 71 per cent attributable to human-caused climate change. Researchers calculated this by comparing estimated heat-related deaths at the temperatures actually experienced with those expected in a world without human-caused warming. The difference represents the additional deaths associated with climate change.

Heat can cause fatal heatstroke and worsen existing conditions, including heart and kidney disease. The figure is a statistical estimate of the additional deaths caused by warming, rather than a count of individual deaths directly identified as resulting from climate change.

Meanwhile, the proportion of countries whose leaders discussed the relationship between climate change and health during the United Nations General Debate fell from 66 per cent in 2021 to 26 per cent in 2025. The General Debate is the annual gathering at which world leaders address a broad range of international issues.

Europe’s record-breaking heatwaves during the summer of 2026 brought the consequences of rising temperatures into sharp focus. Research examining 854 European cities estimated more than 50,000 heat-related deaths that summer, with around two-thirds attributable to human-caused warming. Using a similar approach, researchers compared the estimated death toll under actual temperatures with the number expected without the additional warming caused by human activity.

Climate change competes with more immediate political concerns, including energy prices, economic pressures and international conflicts. The health benefits of cutting emissions may take time to become visible, while governments face pressure to respond to events unfolding today.

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