THE 2024 “Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change” and the “10 New Insights in Climate Science 2024/2025” reports, both released last week, lay bare an urgent truth: climate change isn’t just an environmental challenge – it’s an immediate, pressing health crisis, and every fraction of a degree matters. These reports are not mere warnings; they are calls to immediate action for the health, security, and future of all Malaysians.
The impacts of global temperature rise are here, now, and affecting us daily. The Lancet’s “Countdown” reveals that extreme heat in Malaysia is at unprecedented levels. From 2014 to 2023, we experienced, on average, 10 or more extreme heatwave days annually – nearly double from prior decades.
This isn’t just a statistic; it translates into real health risks and economic costs, particularly for vulnerable groups like older adults, infants, and outdoor workers. In 2023 alone, our country lost RM40bil in productivity to heat related causes. As a nation, we cannot afford this loss, nor can we ignore the severe health implications of a hotter Malaysia. Protecting our people means implementing targeted adaptation measures: shaded workspaces, hydration stations, and adjusted hours for those labouring outdoors.
The reports make it clear that a climate-resilient Malaysia starts with robust health systems and proactive investment in the health of our citizens – proactive mitigation measures at a scale we have yet to plan for, let alone reach. Expanding healthcare infrastructure, particularly in underserved regions, and equipping our healthcare professionals to manage heat-related and climate-driven diseases like dengue must become top priorities.
However, achieving this vision requires a reckoning with our dependency on fossil fuels. In 2022, nearly RM63bil went into fossil fuel subsidies – considerably more than the entire national health budget. While subsidised fuel has made energy accessible, these subsidies come with hidden costs that burden our health system.
Fossil fuels drive air pollution, increasing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions that clog our hospitals and erode the health of our communities. Redirecting even a portion of these funds toward renewable energy and health adaptation measures would immediately improve public health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and accelerate our transition to a sustainable energy future. We cannot continue to invest in an energy source that accelerates our path to disaster.
The shift away from fossil fuels is not easy, but it is necessary. The longer we delay, the steeper the costs – in both lives and money. By reallocating resources strategically, Malaysia can empower a healthcare system that safeguards our people and builds resilience in the face of future climate threats. A thoughtful, planned transition, from which there is no backsliding, no greenwashing, no excuses, towards renewable energy will free up crucial resources for healthcare and social infrastructure, creating a Malaysia where a healthier population contributes to a stronger, climate-ready economy.
To succeed, we must place fairness at the heart of climate policy. Public acceptance hinges on equity, and Malaysians will support policies that consider their needs, amplify their voices, and respect their perspectives. By ensuring that adaptation measures and subsidy reallocations are inclusive and collaborative, we can gain the trust and active participation of communities across Malaysia.
The findings from these reports challenge us to imagine Malaysia as a leader in healthcare and climate resilience –not merely reacting to climate change but actively safeguarding our future. Malaysia’s National Planetary Health Action Plan can be a commitment to this vision. With sustained investment and an unwavering focus on people-centred policies, it has the potential to inspire other nations, embodying a future where health, climate, and prosperity intersect.
This moment calls for bold, united action. It demands that we place the health of Malaysians and our planet at the core of our national agenda – in the spirit and the letter of Malaysia Madani. Let us seize this chance to create a legacy of resilience, where future generations inherit a Malaysia that’s not just surviving the climate crisis but leading the way toward a sustainable, healthier world.
The tools and roadmap are here – the question is, are we ready to act? The time for hesitation has passed. The time to protect, preserve, and prosper is now.
DATUK DR MUHAMMAD RADZI ABU HASSAN
Health director-general
Health Ministry
DR JEMILAH MAHMOOD
Executive director
Sunway Centre for Planetary Health
Sunway University
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