European Climate and Health Observatory e Climate-ADAPT, 2023
Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK (2023)
This report provides a comprehensive and authoritative summary of the scientific evidence on the health effects of climate change, potential implications for public health, and gaps in evidence. It is the fourth report on climate change and health, following on earlier reports published in 2002, 2008 and 2012. The report serves as an evidence base on the diverse and substantial health threats from climate change. While – at low levels of warming – many risks are preventable, it finds that knowledge of effective intervention measures is incomplete.
Important health threats in the UK originate from heat, infectious diseases, water-related and indirect impacts. Extreme heat can lead to 10,000 deaths per year among the aging population by the 2050s under a high-warming scenario without adaptation. Establishment of Aedes albopictus and spread of Culex mosquitoes could cause inland transmission of vector-borne diseases. Changing rainfall patterns will increase flood risks, which will particularly impact mental health. Climate change will also affect food supplies, particularly for nutritious food products like fresh fruit and vegetables, and consequently human health. Health risks are already apparent and will grow and expand with progressive warming. Existing and future risks are moreover not equally distributing among the society.