Around the world, extreme weather is no longer a distant headline, it’s reshaping the foundations of daily life. From clean air and safe drinking water to secure housing, stable incomes and reliable health systems, climate-driven disasters are putting the essential building blocks of human well-being under strain. The price tag staggering: global damage linked to climate change is projected to reach US$1.7–3.1 trillion every year by 2050, with costs rising as events become more frequent and more severe.
Beyond the infrastructure and economic fallout lies a deeper human story. Extreme events - whether sudden floods, relentless heatwaves or devastating storms - disrupt far more than landscapes. They fracture communities, overwhelm health services, and leave long shadows on both physical and mental health. The World Meteorological Organization has recorded nearly 12 000 climate-related disasters since 1970, claiming at least two million lives, with 90% of these tragedies striking developing countries.
For people already managing chronic conditions - including people living with HIV - the consequences can be especially severe: disrupted access to care, treatment interruptions, displacement, financial strain and heightened vulnerability.
Two journal articles under the S3E study, delve into these pressing realities, unpacking how extreme weather is reshaping public health and what it means for the most affected populations.
Curious to learn more? Click below to read the full journal articles:
- Babashahi S, IwujiC, Orievulu K, Eyita-Okon E, Kniveton D. (2025). Protocol for a systematic review of economic evaluations considering costs and health outcomes of weather and climate-related extreme events in humans. BMJ Open. 15(2):e096554. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096554
- Babashahi S,Orievulu K, Eyita-Okon E, Kniveton D, Iwuji C. (2025). Evaluation of the social and economic impact of extreme weather events in people living with HIV in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (S3E project): Protocol for a mixed-method study. PLOS One. 20(7): e0325490. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325490
