New Delhi, October 28: India is among the countries reporting the highest exposure to heatwaves among infants and older adults, alongside China, the United States and Russia, according to the latest Lancet Countdown report on Health and Climate Change.
The report highlights the growing threat of extreme temperatures to vulnerable populations, warning that the health consequences of climate change are increasing faster than global efforts to address them.
According to the findings, 2025 recorded the second-highest heatwave exposure for infants and older adults combined. Globally, older adults experienced approximately 10.8 billion person-days of heatwave exposure, while infants accounted for 1.1 billion person-days.
Although these figures were lower than the record levels registered in 2024, when exposure reached 15.3 billion person-days for older adults and 2.3 billion for infants, researchers warned that the overall trend remains deeply concerning.
On average, each older adult experienced 12.8 heatwave days in 2025, while infants faced an average of 8.7 days of extreme heat exposure.
The report, prepared by an international team of researchers led by University College London, emphasised that global climate action has failed to keep pace with rising temperatures and their impact on public health.
Researchers noted that health risks associated with climate change have intensified significantly in the decade following the 2016 Paris Agreement, compared with the preceding decade.
The authors have urged world leaders to formally recognise climate change as a global health emergency and establish a coordinated international response through the World Health Organization.
They also called for stronger greenhouse gas emission reductions, increased investment in scientific research and greater financial support to help vulnerable countries strengthen their healthcare systems and adapt to climate-related threats.
Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown and professor at University College London, warned that the health impacts of climate change are worsening faster than the measures being introduced to tackle them.
She acknowledged progress in clean energy, healthcare preparedness and environmental regulations but stressed that these efforts remain insufficient, particularly for communities facing the greatest risks.
The report further revealed that extreme heat was linked to an estimated 710,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, the highest annual figure recorded during the 2016–2025 period. Researchers estimated that approximately 71.5 per cent of these deaths were attributable to climate change.
Overall, climate change was estimated to have contributed to nearly three million heat-related deaths globally between 2016 and 2023.
The findings underline the urgent need for stronger climate policies, improved healthcare preparedness and targeted protection for infants, older adults and other vulnerable groups as extreme heat events continue to threaten public health worldwide.
