A decade after the Paris Agreement took effect, leading scientists on Tuesday called for climate change to be declared a global health emergency, warning that its health impacts have worsened faster than efforts to address them.

The 10th annual Lancet Countdown report, authored by 146 researchers from over 30 countries, found that heat-related deaths have surged since 2015, with 710,000 deaths linked to extreme heat in 2023 alone. More than 70% of these were attributed to human-caused climate change, according to the study .

The report’s authors urged the World Health Organization and the United Nations to formally recognize climate change as a global health emergency, arguing that such a designation would shift climate action from voluntary pledges to mandatory, coordinated emergency responses. They also proposed immediate measures, including a global ban on new fossil fuel exploration and the phase-out of coal-fired power by 2035 .

Between 2016 and 2023, the average annual heat-related deaths reached 540,800, with 68% directly linked to climate change—up from 55% in the previous decade, the report stated. The economic toll was also severe, with heatwaves reducing global economic output by an estimated 0.91%, or $1.07 trillion, in 2025 alone .

Marina Romanello, the report’s lead author, said the acceleration of climate-related health risks—including droughts, extreme precipitation, and disease transmission—demands urgent action. “This is not a gradual deterioration, but a rapid shift that must be recognized as the global health emergency it is,” she stated .

The report was published ahead of the UN climate conference in Turkey, where discussions on climate financing and health protections are expected to feature prominently .