America Report of
the Lancet Countdown
The latest report from the Lancet Countdown Latin America provides evidence to inform and guide public decision-making on climate action for the health and wellbeing of Latin American populations.
The data reveal the health risks of climate change and provides examples of feasible and effective climate solutions. The third iteration of the Latin America report monitors progress across 41 indicators in five domains. This report was compiled with the contribution of 50 experts from 28 institutions.
Key findings
Addressing Climate Change is Essential to Protecting Human Health
The escalating intensity of climate hazards—including heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires—is creating cascading health risks and economic shocks across the region.
Climate Adaptation Will Ultimately Fail Without Urgent Mitigation
Crucial planning and implementation efforts remain inadequate, indicating a systemic failure to prioritize health resilience, compounded by deep socio-economic inequalities.
Effective and Integrated Climate and Health Governance Must Be Defined by Tangible Progress
Progress in mitigation is being hampered by continued fossil fuel dependency and an uneven energy transition, demanding greater accountability and measurable health impacts.
Explore key findings of this year’s report
The 2025 Latin America report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: moving from promises to equitable climate action for a prosperous future
HEALTH HAZARDS, EXPOSURES, AND IMPACTS
A changing climate has profound implications for human health, with more frequent heat waves and extreme weather events, changing patterns of infectious disease transmission, deterioration of food and water resources, impacts on socioeconomic conditions, and the exacerbation of existing health challenges around the world. Indicators in this section track the multiple ways in which climate change threatens human health and wellbeing.
1.1.2 Exposure of vulnerable populations to heatwaves
In the 2013-2022 period, infants and people older than 65 years experienced, on average, 248% and 271% more days of heatwave per year than in 1986-2005, respectively.
1.3.1 Climate suitability for infectious disease transmission
The transmission potential for dengue by Aedes aegypti increased by 54% from 1951-1960 to 2013-2022.
1.4 Food security and undernutrition
The higher frequency of heatwave days and drought months in 2021 compared to 1981–2010, was associated with 9·9 million additional people experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity across Latin America.
ADAPTATION, PLANNING, AND RESILIENCE FOR HEALTH
With climate change increasingly threatening the health and wellbeing of populations in every country, actions to build resilience and adapt to climate change are urgently needed. This section tracks how communities, health systems, and governments are understanding the health risks of climate change, the strategies and resources they are deploying, and how adaptation and resilience measures are being implemented globally.
2.2.1 Climate information for health
In 2024, 10 of the 17 (58.8%) World Meteorological Organisation members in Latin America reported working with the health sector for the provision of climate services.
2.2.3 Urban greenspace
In 2024, all 109 cities with over 500,000 inhabitants in Latin America were classified as having low, very low, or exceptionally low greenness levels.
2.2.5 Climate and health education and training
Headline finding: in 2024, only 17% of students in survey-responding public health institutions and 63% in medical institutions received any training on climate change and health.
MITIGATION ACTIONS AND HEALTH CO-BENEFITS
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to limit the health threats of climate change. Simultaneously, many of the interventions required to mitigate and adapt bring enormous benefits for human health and wellbeing in the form of cleaner air, healthier diets, and more liveable cities. Tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century. Indicators in this section track the world’s efforts to mitigate climate change, and the effective and the health benefits of this response.
3.1.1 Energy systems and health
Electricity generation from renewable sources had a net increase of 9.1 percentage-points from 1991–2000 (2.7%) to 2014–2023 (11.8%), exceeding coal’s share since 2014. Nevertheless, coal use also increased from 1991–2000 (2.6%) to 2014–2023 (5.2%).
3.2.1 Premature mortality from ambient pollution
More than 360,000 premature deaths due to fossil fuel-related PM2.5 (coal and gas) were estimated in 2018–2022, 41,000 fewer deaths than in 2007–2011. However, more than 140,000 premature deaths due to PM2.5 from biomass were estimated in 2018–2022, 17,000 more deaths than in 2007–2011.
3.4 Tree cover loss and health
From 2001–2010 to 2014–2023, tree cover loss due to shifting agriculture, wildfires, and commodity driven deforestation has increased by 31%, 29%, and 12%, respectively.
ECONOMICS AND FINANCE
The health impacts of climate change have profound economic implications. This section tracks the economic costs of the health impacts of climate change and its drivers, as well as the extent to which the world’s economy and financial systems are enabling the transition to a health-promoting, zero-carbon economy.
4.1.1 Economic losses due to weather-related extreme events
In 2024, extreme weather disasters in Latin America cost the region US$19.2 billion, 0.3% of the region’s GDP (gross domestic product), with Brazil bearing two-thirds of the cost.
4.1.3 Loss of earnings from heat-related labour capacity reduction
Latin America’s potential earnings lost due to heat-related labour capacity losses in 2024 reach US$ 52 billion (0.81% of GDP), a 12.6% increase from 2023, mostly impacting agriculture and construction workers.
4.2.1 Country preparedness for the transition to net-zero
Headline finding: in 2024, the preparedness for the transition to net-zero in Latin America reached a score of 0.44, well below the world average (0.52). Uruguay, Chile, and Costa Rica led the regional ranking.
PUBLIC AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Public and political engagement underpins the foundations of the world’s collective response to climate change, with reductions in global emissions at the speed required by the Paris Agreement depending on engagement from all sectors of society. This working group tracks key actors’ engagement with the links between health and climate change, including in the media, national governments, the corporate sector, and the broader public. The indicators in this section track the links between health and climate change in the media, national governments, the corporate sector, and the broader public.
5.2 Social media engagement with health and climate change
Social media posts related to health and climate change increased by 256% from 2017 to 2023.
5.3 Scientific articles on health and climate change
Headline finding: Latin American publications represent 5.5% of global output in 2024. Brazil remains the regional leader, equity-related topics remain largely absent from the research.
5.4.2 Funding for science on health and climate in Latin America
Less than 1% of publicly funded research projects in six Latin American countries addressed the intersection between climate change and health in 2024.
Professor Stella Hartinger, Director of the Lancet Countdown Latin America
“The evidence is clear: climate change is already affecting the health of Latin American populations, and it does so in profoundly unequal ways. That’s why health must be at the center of climate action. But we cannot overlook a fundamental point: without mitigation, adaptation will never be enough. We need to urgently reduce emissions while also strengthening health systems to make them more equitable and resilient.”
Óscar Melo, Co-Lead of Working Group 4 Economics and Finance
“The worsening of air pollution, heat, diseases, and climate-related disasters is increasing the economic burden of climate change in Latin America. Greater investment is needed in health-centered climate policies and in the transition toward carbon-neutral economies.”
Camila Llerena, Fellow of Working Group 2 Adaptation, Planning and Resilience
“The adaptation indicators show that the region is making progress—yes—but far too slowly for the pace of climate change. We need health systems that work closely with meteorological services, and cities with green spaces that help people cope with extreme heat. And adaptation is not only about infrastructure: it also requires governance, planning, and strong capacities. Our group’s indicators make it clear that these pillars remain weak across the region.”