' Climate change is the biggest threat to security that modern humans have ever faced.'

This ominous proclamation underlines the reality we face today. Climate change, with its rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and alarming biodiversity loss, is more than an environmental crisis – it's a profound health and safety challenge, impacting every corner of our globe.

To appreciate the magnitude of this impact, consider the health consequences. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that climate change will result in approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050, a chilling statistic that brings into focus the true cost of our warming planet.

The silent killers won't be just the heatwaves, which exacerbate heart and respiratory conditions, but also the insidious rise of vector-borne diseases as changing weather patterns allow disease-carrying mosquitoes to thrive.

Climate change also has profound implications for safety. Natural disasters, supercharged by our warming planet, have displaced millions.

In 2020 alone, extreme weather events led to the displacement of 30.7 million people worldwide. These events not only pose an immediate danger but can have lasting effects, damaging critical infrastructure and impeding emergency response.

As we explore the impacts of climate change, it's crucial to recognise that its effects are not uniform across the globe – they are felt disproportionately by the most vulnerable.

Low-income communities and developing nations, despite contributing the least to greenhouse gas emissions, often bear the brunt of climate change. They face increased risk of disease, food and water insecurity, and displacement due to extreme weather events.

This injustice underscores the urgent need for climate equity, ensuring that efforts to combat climate change are inclusive and fair.

Additionally, climate change is an accelerating factor in the global wildlife crisis. Species are losing their habitats at an alarming rate due to rising temperatures, increased frequency of fires, and changing weather patterns.

As biodiversity dwindles, ecosystems lose their resilience and ability to provide essential services, from carbon sequestration to pollination, which humans rely on for survival.

This intricate interplay between climate change and biodiversity loss underscores the need for holistic, nature-based solutions in our climate strategy.

As we grapple with these health and safety challenges, we are also forced to rethink our environmental practices. Water management is drastically impacted by changing rainfall patterns and the melting of glaciers, leading to far-reaching implications for agriculture and water security.

Increased carbon dioxide levels contribute to ocean acidification, a silent but deadly phenomenon that threatens marine biodiversity.

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) warns us that at our current pace, we may witness the loss of 99 percent of our coral reefs by the end of this century – a sobering prospect.

Despite this, there's a glimmer of hope.

As Jane Goodall, the renowned English primatologist and anthropologist, reminds us, 'What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.'

This statement resonates deeply as we witness an unprecedented wave of action against climate change. From the commitments under the Paris Agreement to cutting-edge research into renewable energy, the world is finally waking up to the urgency of this crisis.

Yet, the path to mitigating these impacts requires sustained and concerted efforts. We must strengthen healthcare systems and improve surveillance of climate-sensitive diseases, enhance disaster risk reduction strategies, and adopt more resilient and sustainable environmental practices.

And while these steps may seem monumental, they're within our grasp. Each action we take now will shape the future of our planet and the well-being of generations to come.

In conclusion, the climate crisis presents us with a daunting challenge. Yet, it also offers an opportunity – an opportunity to reconfigure our relationship with the natural world, to create a safer, healthier future that values and protects its environment.

The late Wangari Maathai, Nobel laureate and tireless environmental activist, once said, 'In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground.'

This is our time. Let's rise to the challenge and ensure that our health, safety and environmental practices are resilient, sustainable and mindful of our planetary boundaries.

As we navigate this path, let's remember that our survival and the health of future generations hinge on the actions we take today.

As former U.S. president Barack Obama aptly put it, 'We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.'

Let's make sure our actions count.

Dr Ved is an occupational health, safety and environment consultant and training specialist.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.