Climate change may lower human lifespans by 6 months

SYLHET, Bangladesh — Climate change could reduce our lifespans by up to six months, a new study warns. Scientists, analyzing data spanning 80 years, found a correlation between changes in temperature and rainfall and a decrease in average life expectancy.

The research indicates that women and individuals in developing countries are disproportionately impacted by climate change. The study aims to establish a direct link between life expectancy and the effects of climate change, a connection that has remained elusive despite extensive documentation of climate change’s direct and indirect impacts, including natural disasters and respiratory illnesses.

The research team, from the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Bangladesh and the New School for Social Research in the United States, examined data from 191 countries from 1940 to 2020. They considered variables like average temperature, rainfall, and GDP per capita to account for disparities among countries.

In a groundbreaking approach, the team created a climate change index that combines temperature and rainfall data to assess the overall severity of climate change. Their findings reveal that a global temperature rise of just 1°C (0.5°C less than the Paris Climate Agreement’s target limit) correlates with an average life expectancy decrease of approximately five months and one week. Furthermore, a 10-point increase in the climate change index is predicted to reduce average life expectancy by six months.

The study’s authors hope their climate change index will become a universal tool for the non-scientific public, standardizing global discussions about climate change. The research also finds that climate change disproportionately reduces the life expectancy of females more than males. The researchers urge countries to take immediate action to contain global temperature rise and protect public health in the face of climate change.

The team advocates for prioritizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to environmental changes. They also suggest localized studies focusing on specific severe weather events like wildfires, tsunamis, and floods, which cannot be fully understood through temperature and rainfall analysis alone.

“Mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changing conditions are essential to minimize the health risks associated with climate change,” the researchers write in the journal PLoS Climate. “Thus, countries should come forward with prompt initiatives to contain global temperature rise and protect the health of the population on the verge of climate change, emphasizing that mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and proactive initiatives are essential to safeguard life expectancy and protect the health of populations worldwide.”

South West News Service writer James Gamble contributed to this report.