Outlook on Climate Change as a Healthcare Crisis

Editor's Note: The following article, about our Future Truth predictions for the healthcare industry, was originally published in the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Journal, Volume 4.

Climate change is a threat that looms large on the horizon – and yet it often seems to be a danger that will remain in the distance forever and will never catch up to us – until one day it does, just like COVID-19. Extreme weather events and trends such as higher temperatures and rising sea levels are raising the rate of death and disease, disrupting healthcare, and escalating costs. As climatic conditions move out of the “Goldilocks zone” in which species – humans included – evolved, the speed and scale of compounding effects may overwhelm societies, businesses, and governments around the world.

The health and life sciences sector is part of the problem: If the sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases on Earth due to the production, transport, and disposal of products and services across the life sciences supply chain.

However, this sector is also a crucial part of the solution: It has the opportunity to mediate the health impact of climate change, and to minimize the harm and inequities for patients, staff, and societies.

This article is courtesy of both Marsh & McLennan Advantage and Oliver Wyman. It may be completed at this link.