Climate change has evolved from an environmental issue into a major public health crisis that directly threatens human health, a Turkish cardiologist warned Wednesday, as temperatures continue to rise across Türkiye.
Professor Mehmet Akbulut, a cardiology specialist at Fırat University Hospital, said extreme heat is among the most visible and deadly consequences of climate change.
“Since the 1950s, there has been a significant increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves,” Akbulut said. “Globally, nearly 17.5 million healthy life years are lost each year due to high temperatures alone. Europe, including Türkiye, has become the fastest-warming continent in the world.”
Despite preventive efforts, more than 60,000 people in Europe died in 2022 because of extreme heat, he said, adding that climate change has become a sustained public health crisis.
Akbulut said many of the health problems caused by extreme heat are linked to the cardiovascular system.
