Climate Change Deaths Linked to Fossil Fuel Funding Exposed by Protesters

Protesters carried out a 'die-in' at Barclays Bank in Reading to highlight the alleged connection between the bank's fossil fuel funding and deaths caused by climate change. The protest, which took place on Saturday, September 13, coincides with a growing body of evidence showing that climate change is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Analyses from the World Weather Attribution organisation reveal that extreme weather events, like heatwaves, are becoming more frequent and deadly due to climate change. In fact, heatwaves are the deadliest type of extreme weather globally, contributing to at least 500,000 deaths a year, including some in the UK.

Key Takeaways:

• Around the world, millions of people are dying due to heatwaves, wildfires, torrential rain, drought, flooding, and landslides, all caused by changes in our climate brought about by the constant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Barclays Bank is allegedly still funding fossil fuel projects, which contribute to climate change, indirectly contributing to the deaths of humans and wildlife.
• Heatwaves are the deadliest type of extreme weather globally, contributing to at least 500,000 deaths a year, including some in the UK.
• Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London estimate that high heat killed 2,300 people across 12 major cities as temperatures soared across Europe this summer.
• Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and deadly due to climate change, with heatwaves being the deadliest type.
• Dr Ben Clarke, researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, warns that countries need to speed up the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy to mitigate the effects of climate change.
• Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus suffered devastating wildfires made more likely due to climate change, resulting in at least 17 lives lost, including 10 firefighters and rescue workers.
• A new study published in the medical journal JAMA links more than 400 additional deaths to the wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Statistics:

• At least 500,000 deaths per year worldwide are attributed to heatwaves caused by climate change.
• 2,300 people died across 12 major cities in Europe due to high heat this summer.
• The wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year resulted in more than 400 additional deaths, according to a new study.
• At least 17 lives were lost, including 10 firefighters and rescue workers, due to devastating wildfires in Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus.

Sources:

• Extinction Rebellion
• World Weather Attribution
• "Heatwaves: Quantifying the relationship between temperature and mortality" study published in the medical journal JAMA
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
• Imperial College London
• Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London
• The Guardian