# Lancet Countdown climate health report > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lancet-countdown-climate-health-report > Updated: 2026-10-29T05:20:00.000Z. Sources: 82. Developments: 3. The tenth annual Lancet Countdown report, a collaboration between University College London and the World Health Organization, warns that climate-related health risks are accelerating faster than global response efforts. Researchers are calling for the United Nations and the WHO to formally recognize climate change as a global health emergency to shift focus from voluntary commitments to coordinated, mandatory prevention and accountability measures. The report indicates that heat-related deaths reached a record high of approximately 710,000 in 2023, a figure that exceeds annual malaria fatalities. Analysis suggests that 71.5 percent of these deaths were caused by global warming. Between 2016 and 2023, the annual average for heat-related deaths was approximately 548,000, with roughly 369,900 attributed to warming. Researchers estimate that nearly three million people died due to heat during this seven-year period, with over 68 percent of these deaths attributed to human-induced climate change. Beyond mortality, the report highlights significant economic and environmental impacts. Heat exposure is projected to cause a global economic loss of approximately $1.07 trillion by 2025, primarily impacting the agriculture and construction sectors due to declines in labor productivity. Additionally, the report notes that 51.8 percent of the world's land area experienced extreme drought for at least one month in 2025, while extreme weather patterns continue to threaten land stability and expanded disease suitability for illnesses like dengue fever. Recent findings ahead of the COP 31 climate conference in Antalya, Turkey, reiterate that global climate action remains “utterly insufficient.” The data emphasizes that developing nations face disproportionate impacts from extreme heat. While some progress in renewable energy could potentially reduce temperature rise projections from 3.5 degrees Celsius to 2.6 degrees Celsius by 2100, researchers maintain that urgent action is required to mitigate growing health risks. ## Claims - Heat caused a loss of 1.07 trillion US dollars in global economic output in 2025. (reported by 16 sources) - Extreme heat and reduced worker productivity cost the global economy over $1 trillion annually over the past three years. (reported by 2 sources) - Researchers are calling for the climate crisis to be recognized as a global health emergency. (reported by 34 sources) - There were 710,000 heat-related deaths in 2023. (reported by 29 sources) - Between 2016 and 2023, an average of 540,800 people died annually due to heat. (reported by 23 sources) - Heat-related deaths in 2023 were higher than deaths caused by malaria. (reported by 16 sources) - In 2025, 51.8 percent of the world's land area suffered from extreme drought for at least one month. (reported by 13 sources) - Rising temperatures killed approximately 3 million people between 2016 and 2023. (reported by 9 sources) - Climate disinformation is a threat to public health. (reported by 4 sources) - Climate disinformation can delay policies regarding air pollution, clean energy, and fossil fuels. (reported by 4 sources) - Over 70 per cent of 2023 heat deaths were attributed directly to human-caused climate change. (reported by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-29: Climate change linked to three million deaths globally A Lancet Countdown study links three million deaths to planetary warming between 2016 and 2023, noting that developing nations suffer disproportionately from extreme heat. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/climate-change-linked-to-three-million-deaths-globally ### 2026-10-28: Global heat-related deaths reached record 710,000 in 2023 A study published in The Lancet reveals that heat-related deaths hit a record 710,000 in 2023, with over 71% attributed to global warming. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/global-heat-related-deaths-reached-record-710000-in-2023 ### 2026-10-27: Lancet Countdown report calls for global climate health emergency declaration The Lancet Countdown report urges the UN and WHO to declare a global health emergency as climate-driven health risks, including heat-related deaths and extreme droughts, accelerate globally. 76 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/health-organizations-urge-who-to-address-climate-disinformation --- Cite as: Lancet Countdown climate health report. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lancet-countdown-climate-health-report