The new study "The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2021" by the renowned medical journal "The Lancet" points out: "Climate change is the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century." Therefore, we must all work together to stop this existential crisis. Natura Vitalis is committed to the corporate responsibility to protect Mother Nature!

The current economic-political-social discourse is driven by one topic in particular. Climate change is considered the prominent issue of the 21st century and has manifold effects on ecology, economy and general coexistence. Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of the significant and rapid rise in temperature. The consequences are already clearly noticeable in all parts of the world - and the trend is rising. Accordingly, serious consequences are to be expected for national economies and societies if global warming cannot be regulated quickly.

Climate change also appears to be the greatest threat to health. Heat deaths, lung diseases, exhaustion: the health effects of climate change are increasing unabated, according to the new study "The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2021" of the renowned medical journal "The Lancet". The Lancet Countdown tracks 44 indicators in five key areas: Climate change impacts, exposure and vulnerability; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation action and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement.

"No one is safe from the impacts of climate change"

According to the magazine, "Climate change is the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century, but it is also the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health. In 2015, countries committed to limit global warming to well below two degrees as part of the landmark Paris Agreement. The annual Countdown report provides an independent assessment of progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and presents the findings and consensus of 38 leading academic institutions and UN agencies."

Maria Romanello, lead author of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2021, says: "We must finally recognise that no one is safe from the effects of climate change." And Bayerischer Rundfunk reports, "According to the findings, people in 134 countries are now at risk from wildfires. In 2020, adults over 65 were exposed to heatwaves on significantly more days than during the average reference period 1986-2005. At the same time, only 45 out of 91 countries surveyed in 2021 said they had a national plan or strategy on health and climate change."

German health system not prepared for higher burden of climate change

And the article goes on to say: "What this means for Germany emerges from an accompanying report with recommendations for policy makers, the Policy Brief for Germany. In the Federal Republic, too, heat-related deaths would rise, there would be an increase in zoonoses, and more and more people would complain of allergies, exhaustion or lack of sleep due to excessively high temperatures, according to Christian Schulz, Executive Director of the German Climate Change and Health Alliance. (KLUG)."

Furthermore, according to the platform "Business Insider", the report shows that the German health system is not prepared for the higher burden of climate change. But two years ago, the German government had already been warned of exactly this, according to "Bayrische Rundfunk". At that time, the research team had called for three steps to deal with the health consequences of climate change: the systematic and nationwide implementation of heat protection plans to reduce heat-related health risks; the reduction of the CO2 footprint of the German health sector; and the integration of climate change and health in education, training and continuing education of health professionals.

Working together to stop this crisis

It is therefore urgent to take consistent action against global warming. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference ("United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" or "26th Conference of the Parties", COP) brought this to mind once again in November.

One important result: the 1.5 degree target for limiting warming was clearly stated, and for the first time fossil fuels were declared to be a phase-out model, albeit in a weakened form. In addition, important issues such as the end of the combustion engine by 2040 at the latest, the end of deforestation by 2030 and the 30 percent reduction of fossil methane gas emissions were agreed. A focus of COP26 was also the negotiations on financial compensation and support for the less developed and poorer countries from the industrialised nations, which have been the main cause of global warming. Due to their situation, these countries will tend to suffer more from the consequences of global warming.

No health products will help against climate change and global warming. Therefore, we must all work together to stop this crisis. Natura Vitalis is committed to the corporate responsibility to protect Mother Nature!