Lancet's latest report highlights the dire health impact of India's fossil fuel dependency and underlines the need for urgent climate action
According to the latest Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report, India, a country heavily reliant on fossil fuels for its energy needs, is facing a major health crisis. The Lancet Countdown, an international collaboration monitoring the health effects of climate change, highlights the dire consequences of India's continued use of fossil fuels and its impact on public health.
India is among the countries considered in the report, representing 50 percent of the world's population and contributing to 70 percent of global emissions. The Lancet Countdown tracks 43 indicators across five fundamental climate change, health, and policy domains.
One of the most alarming findings in the report is the significant role of fossil fuel subsidies in exacerbating the health crisis. In 2021, 80 percent of the countries reviewed provided some form of fossil fuel subsidy, totaling a staggering USD 400 billion. India, in particular, spent a net US$34 billion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2019, which accounted for 5 percent of its total national health spending.
The consequences of this reliance on fossil fuels are dire. Over 3,30,000 people died in India in 2020 due to exposure to fossil fuel pollutants. The report also underscores the impact of rising temperatures on different age groups.
Infants under one year old experienced an average of 72 million more person-days of heatwaves per year from 2012–2021, compared to 1985–2005. Adults over the age of 65 in India faced 301 million more person-days of heat exposure during the same period. Heat-related deaths increased by 55 percent in India from 2000–2004 to 2017–2021.
The economic toll is also substantial. In 2021, Indians lost a staggering 167.2 billion potential labour hours due to heat exposure, resulting in income losses equivalent to about 5.4 percent of the national GDP.
The Lancet Countdown report also points out the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, such as deteriorating air quality, reduced food output, and increased risk of infectious diseases due to higher carbon emissions. The report warns that dengue transmission has become more frequent, with an increase of 1.69 percent in the months suitable for transmission each year.
The report's recommendations call for urgent action to address these pressing health and environmental issues. It emphasises the need to improve air quality to prevent deaths from exposure to fossil fuel-derived particulate matter. Additionally, governments are urged to develop climate solutions that match the scale of the problem, recognising that the climate crisis endangers the planet and people's health.
Investing more resources in environmental protection and reducing the burning of dirty fuels are essential to mitigate the health impacts of India's fossil fuel dependency. The Lancet Countdown report serves as a stark reminder that the health and well-being of the Indian population are inextricably linked to addressing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and combating climate change.