Climate Change Impact On SRHR

Climate change has a global impact on public health, economic, humanitarian, and gender equality. Increasing temperatures, sea-level rises, changing patterns of precipitation, and more frequent and severe extreme events have adverse effects on key determinants of human health, including clean air and water, sufficient food, and adequate shelter. It results in increasing heat stress, malnutrition, communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and facilitating the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, contributing to health emergencies. Climate change and air pollution worsen each other, resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (Alahmad et al., 2023). A growing number of studies also suggest that rising temperatures can impair mental health and increase the risk for suicidal behavior. It is estimated that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause 250,000 additional deaths per year due to malaria, malnutrition, diarrhoea, and heat stress (WHO). The 2022 Lancet Countdown highlights that the vulnerable communities, particularly those in low-income regions, are disproportionately affected, leading to increased health risks and reduced access to healthcare services.