Climate change is not only a cause of environmental concern, but also a major element that affects people’s health. Current climate models and studies project that global warming will differently affect all countries. Some will be characterized by a decrease in mortality rates, especially in cold countries, whereas others will bear an increase in mortality due to temperatures.
On the map of the world showing climate projections, countries are painted in two colors. Countries in which death will be diminished are marked blue. This is predominantly due to the decrease in the rate of death caused by cold weather. Red indicates countries in which deaths will be on the increase, mainly due to increased cases of heat waves and worsened climatic conditions. One should not overlook that cold kills far more people than heat waves. This, maybe, will be a surprise, but the research reports that mortality due to the cold is by about nine times higher compared to heat waves. Meanwhile, different temperatures are ‘cold’ for different regions: in India’s Delhi, the boundary temperature can be +4-5 °C, in South Africa’s Cape Town it can be about +8 °C.
Given this, countries with cold climates will be some of the advantages of global warming. Russia, Canada and much of Europe, to name a few,will enjoy fewer deaths from hypothermia. Warming can ease harsh winters and avoid respiratory illnesses, heart attacks, and other diseases brought about by cold. But where already warm climates dominate – as in South Asia, Central Africa and South America – global warming will enhance the risk of climate hazards. In all these places, the increased temperatures will lead to more dehydration-related deaths, heat strokes, and worsening work and living conditions.
