According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the leading authority for health within the United Nations system, climate change is a huge factor in the millions of deaths around the globe that are caused by diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

WHO Statistics

The most drastic cases of death by disease are occurring in developing countries, and they are having the deadliest impact on women and children.

Here are some WHO statistics caused by increasing climate change:

• Over 3.5 million deaths per year are caused by malnutrition
• Malaria kills about 1 million people every year
• Over the last 30 years, warm temperatures in Eastern Africa have created ideal conditions for mosquitoes to spread malaria
• Flooding and unsafe water have led to epidemics of cholera in Bangladesh

As climate change continues to sweep across the globe, death will continue to follow in its aftermath.

WHO Efforts

WHO has been researching and devising plans to figure out how to address the climate change issue. They realize that developing countries do not have a way to stop diseases from spreading, so the WHO is developing better forecasting systems and stronger health care services.

You can read more about WHO’s research and efforts here.

We’re lucky that the WHO has recognized this issue, and we support their continued efforts in protecting human health. With the EPA being sued for not regulating greenhouse gases, it's nice to know that someone is doing their job.