India Ranks Among Top Nations for Heatwave Risks to Babies and Seniors

India stands among the top countries with the highest heatwave exposure for infants and older adults, alongside China, the U.S. and Russia, according to the tenth indicator report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. Globally, the total number of heatwave days dropped from the record high seen in 2024, when older adults faced 15.3 billion person-days and infants faced 2.3 billion person-days. The year 2025 marked the second highest on record for heatwave exposure for these vulnerable groups, as older adults endured 10.8 billion person-days of heatwaves and infants experienced 1.1 billion person-days. When adjusted for population size, older adults faced an average of 12.8 heatwave days per person in 2025, while infants averaged 8.7 heatwave days per person.

Global Findings

Authors of the report, led by experts at the U.K.'s University College London, point out that climate action is growing worldwide but fails to keep pace with global warming. Health harms linked to climate change grew faster in the decade after the 2016 Paris Agreement than in the previous decade. In 2023, which was the hottest year during the 2016-2025 period, heat was connected to an estimated 7,10,000 deaths, surpassing deaths from malaria or HIV, with 71.5% of those heat deaths driven by climate change. Overall, authors estimate that climate change caused nearly 3 million heat deaths between 2016 and 2023.

Calls for Action

Reporting authors are urging leaders to formally declare climate change a global health emergency. They want a new WHO tool to guide a coordinated global response and ask governments to put health at the centre of every climate choice. Key priorities include fair cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, ongoing investment in science, and climate finance delivered as grants rather than loans so nations can adapt without growing their debt. Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown and a professor at University College London, stated that while real progress exists in clean energy and health readiness, it remains too slow and fails to reach the people who need help the most.

Context

Health experts study heatwave exposure trends across vulnerable populations to measure how global warming directly impacts human survival and healthcare systems over time. The Paris Agreement serves as a major international benchmark adopted by countries to limit global temperature rises and address climate risks.