At a Glance

Researchers concludedthat the consequences of climate change on human health is and will be devastating.Extreme weather and altering patterns of infectious disease are just some of theconsequences of a warming planetOthers include compromising food security, safe drinking waterand clean air.

A rapidly changing climate is creating a global "medical emergency," according to a new report.

Extreme weather, changing patterns of infectious disease and compromised food security, safe drinking waterand clean air are just some of the that will impact all aspects of human life in the decades to come, according to the report released by the Lancet this week.

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change was compiled by researchers from 27 academic institutions, the United Nations and numerous intergovernmental agencies from every continent.

The team tracking the effects and consequences of climate change consists of climate scientists, ecologists, mathematicians, geographers, engineers, energy, food, livestock, and transport experts, economists, social and political scientists, public health professionalsand doctors.

The latest report says the consequences of climate change on human health isand will bedevastating.

"Climate change is a medical emergency," report co-author Renee Salas, a doctor of emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital,. "It is truly harming the health of Americans, and especially the most vulnerable ... Children, the elderly, minoritiesand the poor."

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Here are some takeaways from the annual report thattracks 41 indicators of progress in health and climate change.

Heatwaves: This is the most concerning trend, according to the report. Millions of people are exposed to heat waves, whichcan lead to renal problems, heart issuesand death.

In 2017, 157 million more people were exposed to heat waves compared to 2000. That's18 million more than in 2016.

"We're seeing increases in the frequency, intensityand duration of heat waves," report co-author Kristie Ebi of the University of Washington, told USA Today. "As our populations ageand as they move into cities that have got urban heat islands, we're seeing a large increase in the number of people who are vulnerable to high temperatures."

People livingin Europe and the East Mediterranean are morevulnerable than those in Africa and southeast Asia, the report notes.

Heatwaves can also harm people indirectly by killing off livestock, leaving people vulnerable to food shortages, malnutrition and famine.

Floods: Flooding events are becoming more common as the earth warms. Flooding is not only deadly it canalso provoke or exacerbate mental health issues and spread infectious diseases.

The report notes that 15 percent ofall deaths linked to natural disasters come from flooding.

The researchers say the number of people exposed to floods could increase by 2 billion by 2100.

Droughts: Droughts can lower crop yields and reduce clean water supplies, which can lead to infectious water-borne diseases.

By 2100, the number of people exposed to droughts annually could rise by 1.4 billion, the report notes.

Climate-related diseases: Illnesses like Dengue fever, Zikaand skin cancer has risen in recent years and can be linked to climate change.

Otherwaterborne Vibrio bacteria that can lead to wound infections, sepsisand the stomach fluare also on the rise globally.

“I don’t want people to be surprised when they see cases of what used to be now being found in the United States as a result of changing climate,” Gina McCarthy, a professor of public health at Harvard and a former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency during the Obama administration, told the New York Times.

Air Pollution: Ninety percent of people living on this planet are breathingair with pollution levels above the recommended World Health Organization guidelines.

Between 2010 and 2016, concentrations of air pollution rose in nearly 70 percent of cities worldwide. Some 7 million have died as a result of air pollution.

Exposure to air pollution can lead to lung and heart complications.

Climate migration: As people are forced to migrate from their homes because of rising seas and other climate-related issues, a slew of medical problems canarise.

Some of these includehypothermia, burns, cardiovascular issues, pregnancy-related complicationsand hypertension, the report says.

Psychological problems: Millions of people exposed to extreme weather events are experiencing mental health issues. The trauma of a devastating hurricane or flood can have lasting psychological consequences.

Most concerning, the report notes, is the effect heat waves have on mental health. The researchers cite that found a link between hot weather and increased rates of suicides.

The study notes that researchonthe link between climate change and mental health is rather limited at this point.