Heat kills one person every minute worldwide, Lancet report warns
A new report from the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change reveals that extreme heat now kills nearly 550,000 people annually — roughly one person every minute.
Published on Tuesday, the 2025 report shows a 63% rise in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, driven largely by human-induced climate change.
The study, compiled by 128 researchers across 71 institutions, highlights that infants and the elderly are most at risk.
Babies under one year now face four times as many heatwave days as in the 1990s, while adults over 65 face a threefold increase.
Beyond direct heat deaths, the report notes broader threats from climate change, including:
Extreme drought affecting 61% of the planet’s land in 2024.
Wildfire smoke causing a record 154,000 deaths.
Rising dengue risk, up nearly 50% since the 1950s.
Labor productivity losses of $1 trillion due to heat exposure.
The study warns that parts of the world are nearing physiological tipping points, where even brief exposure to heat and humidity can be deadly. Vulnerable low- and middle-income countries face the greatest risks, often without access to reliable cooling or healthcare.
Despite escalating threats, global emissions hit record highs in 2024, and fossil fuel subsidies approached $1 trillion, while political attention to climate and health has declined sharply.
The Lancet Countdown urges urgent action: accelerate renewable energy, redirect subsidies, strengthen health systems, and educate the public on climate-linked health risks. Researchers warn humanity is at a crossroads — decisive global action is needed to prevent escalating deaths, economic losses, and ecological collapse.
