The impact of climate change on human life has long been felt across the world, but a recently published global survey has revealed the full intensity of the crisis. The survey shows that India experienced twenty heatwaves last year, with climate-related factors significantly increasing the frequency and severity of these events. It also reports that climate change led to a loss of 247 billion work hours globally, resulting in an economic loss of 194 billion USD in labour productivity.
According to The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2025, climate-related factors caused a 66% loss in the agriculture sector and a 20% loss in the construction sector last year. This flagship report was prepared by 128 international experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies, led by University College London. It provides one of the most comprehensive assessments so far of the link between climate change and human health. The report states that a heavy reliance on fossil fuels and the failure to adapt to climate impacts are endangering millions of lives, livelihoods, and health systems.
The report notes that 12 out of 20 indicators measuring the health impact of climate change have reached their highest-ever recorded levels. It further highlights that between 2020 and 2024, India witnessed an average of 10,000 deaths annually linked to PM2.5 pollution caused by forest fires—a 28% increase compared to 2003–2012.
Despite the alarming findings revealed by The Lancet, genuine international cooperation to tackle this crisis remains absent. It is undeniable that developed countries continue to avoid taking responsibility. The irresponsible stance of former US President Donald Trump on climate change, particularly in recent years, has significantly undermined prospects for a unified global response. Many developed economies appear to be disregarding the core recommendations of the Paris Agreement.
While developing nations struggle to uplift millions from poverty using their limited resources, the same developed countries continue pressuring them to implement stringent climate-mitigation measures. According to the Lancet Countdown 2025, anthropogenic PM2.5 pollution caused 1.7 million deaths in India by 2022, with 44% arising from emissions from coal and liquid gas used as fossil fuels. Additionally, 269,000 deaths were linked to emissions from petrol-driven road transport.
The most alarming concerns highlighted in the report are the massive loss of labour hours and the 66% damage to the agriculture sector. This crisis could cause large-scale displacement and severely threaten India’s food chain, underlining the urgent need to develop climate-resilient crop varieties. If achieved, the adverse impact of climate change on crops can be significantly reduced. This remains one of the greatest challenges for India, the world’s most populous nation, and for its farmers.
The findings of the Lancet Countdown 2025 have brought urgent truths to light. The Climate Risk Index 2026, released at the COP30 Summit in Belém, Brazil, paints a frightening picture of India’s climate vulnerability. According to the report, India is among the top ten most climate-disaster-affected countries in the world. It states that last year’s extreme rainfall and severe floods affected nearly 8 million people. Over the past three decades, climate-related disasters have claimed around 80,000 lives and caused economic losses estimated at 170 billion USD. These figures depict the devastating consequences of the climate crisis on the nation.
Urgent and intensified action is required at all levels—governmental and societal. Awareness campaigns must be expanded. Agriculture, being the most affected, needs dedicated research and widespread farmer education to protect the food chain of a nation with over 1.4 billion people. Climate-induced cyclones, droughts in some regions, and catastrophic floods in others are causing India significant losses year after year. The root cause is rapidly rising atmospheric temperatures driven primarily by global warming, and India’s climate crisis is undeniably worsening.
These climate impacts are obstructing development and threatening livelihoods. The Indian government has repeatedly expressed commitments at the global level to combat climate change. Renewable energy has been aggressively promoted as a major solution, capable of substantially reducing carbon emissions. Expanding forest cover remains equally important. However, development must not come at the cost of deforestation. Every climate-related step must be assessed continuously at the grassroots level. Effective policy implementation is essential, with active participation from the smallest democratic units—village panchayats to urban local bodies.
The climate crisis is not just India’s problem—it is a global emergency. Over the past three decades, more than 9,000 climate-related disasters worldwide have claimed over 800,000 lives. Ironically, the countries contributing the least to global carbon emissions—developing and poor nations—are paying the highest price. Developing nations are more vulnerable yet possess limited resources to respond. Their resilience capacity is restricted, making widespread financial support an urgent need. In such circumstances, developed nations have a moral responsibility not only to provide economic and technological assistance but also to reduce their own carbon emissions. Unfortunately, this responsibility is not being taken seriously.
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