New Delhi: India experienced an average of nearly 20 heatwave days per person in 2024, with more than six of those days directly linked to climate change, according to a new report published by The Lancet. The findings highlight how rising global temperatures are intensifying health and economic risks for millions across the country.
The 2025 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report estimates that heat exposure in 2024 led to a staggering loss of 247 billion potential labour hours — equivalent to around 420 hours per person representing a 124 percent increase from the 1990s. The agricultural sector bore the brunt, accounting for 66 percent of the total loss, followed by the construction sector at 20 percent.
The reduction in labour capacity due to extreme heat translated into a potential income loss of about 194 billion US dollars for India in 2024. The study, compiled by 128 researchers from 71 academic and UN institutions under the leadership of University College London, underscores the growing threat climate change poses to human health and productivity.
Released ahead of the UN’s COP30 climate summit, the report provides one of the most comprehensive global assessments linking climate change and health outcomes. It warns that continued dependence on fossil fuels and inadequate adaptation efforts are endangering lives, with 12 out of 20 key health indicators reaching record levels.
Globally, heat-related deaths have risen by 23 percent since the 1990s, reaching about 546,000 annually. The spread potential of dengue fever has also expanded by up to 49 percent since the 1950s, driven by changing weather patterns.
In India, between 2020 and 2024, an average of 10,200 deaths each year were attributed to PM2.5 pollution from forest fires a 28 percent increase compared to the 2003–2012 period. The report also revealed that over 1.7 million deaths in 2022 were linked to human-caused air pollution, with coal and liquid gas responsible for nearly half. Emissions from petrol-fueled road transport alone contributed to 269,000 deaths.
