The Lancet Planetary Health, 11 August 2025

Climate change and pandemics: a call for action

Climate change is expected to impact macroecological processes and adaptive responses of wildlife, thereby increasing cross-species viral transmission and elevating the risks of zoonotic pathogen spillover to humans. More than 1000 pathogen transmission pathways are exacerbated by climatic hazards, accounting for approximately half of all known human diseases. The increasing risk of zoonotic outbreaks—from spillover to viral epidemics and pandemics—driven by climate change, poses a significant concern.

We reviewed research examining the impact of climate change on zoonotic infections. 76.5% of studies focus on climate-sensitive, vector-borne diseases in humans (malaria, dengue, Zika, Lyme disease) and the associated impacts on vectors. This emphasis is likely to reflect the high disease burden and climate-sensitivity of ectothermic vectors and their pathogens.