Lancet Countdown Report: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change

The 2018 Lancet Countdown identifies extreme heat as the primary health concern globally, noting that 157 million more vulnerable people were exposed to heat waves in 2017 compared to 2000. In Canada, the report links air pollution from human activity to 7,142 premature deaths in 2015, with health impacts valued at $53.5 billion. The document advocates for carbon pricing, the phase-out of coal-fired power plants by 2030, and the integration of climate health into medical curricula.

• Extreme heat is identified as the most concerning health impact globally, with 157 million more vulnerable people exposed to heat waves in 2017 than in 2000. This resulted in an estimated loss of 153 billion hours of labour in 2017, which is 62 billion hours more than the loss in 2000.
• Global economic losses from 712 extreme weather events in 2017 reached $326 billion (US funds), representing nearly a three-fold increase over 2016. Other global trends include increasing rates of animal- or insect-borne diseases in Africa and declining agricultural yields in 30 countries.
• In Canada, chronic exposure to fine particulate (PM2.5) air pollution from human activity caused 7,142 premature deaths in 2015, with associated health costs valued at $53.5 billion. Of these deaths, 345 were attributed to coal-fired power plants, 105 to coal-related industries, 2,762 to non-coal industries, 1,063 to land-based transportation, and 1,282 to the agricultural sector.
• Carbon pricing is highlighted as a critical tool for protecting human health. Globally, 20% of human-activity climate emissions will be covered by carbon pricing once the Chinese system begins. In Canada, coverage dropped to 42% after Ontario dismantled its cap-and-trade program, but is expected to reach 70% with the 2019 federal system.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2018). Lancet Countdown Report: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CAPE-Factsheet-Lancet-2018.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Lancet Countdown Report: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change. 2018. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CAPE-Factsheet-Lancet-2018.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Lancet Countdown Report: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change |date=29 November 2018 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CAPE-Factsheet-Lancet-2018.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2018lancet, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Lancet Countdown Report: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CAPE-Factsheet-Lancet-2018.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }