Climate change is threatening the health of people in Bangladesh. It is no longer a future problem; it is a problem of now. To present this problem with data and create a platform for discussion with leading experts, the first in-person Bangladesh launch of the 2022 report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change took place on Thursday, 22 December 2022 at the Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF).

The event provided an opportunity to acknowledge and examine the impacts climate change has had on Bangladesh across timeframes covering the past, present, and future. The imminent and necessary steps towards alleviating some of the predicaments were also discussed.

During the event, findings of the 2022 Lancet Countdown Report in the context of Bangladesh were highlighted. Some key points included:

•There was 0.49°C summer temperature increase in 2021 in Bangladesh compared to 1986-2005 baseline, significantly higher than the 0.09°C increase in 2000

•There was 12 additional person-days of heatwave exposure experienced by infants in 2021 compared to 1986-2005 baseline

•Bangladesh experienced 1.7 months of droughts during 2012–2021, considerably higher than the 1951–1960 average of 0.3 months

•15,970 million potential hours lost in the agriculture sector in Bangladesh

•There was 148% increase in heat-related mortality among 65+ in Bangladesh between 2000-2004 and 2017-2021

•Compared to 1981-2010 baseline, crop yield potential for maize declined by 3.1% and 0.3% decline for rice in 2021

•Compared with 1981–2010, increases in the number of heatwave days resulted in an increase of 6.0 percentage-points (increased from 24.2% to 30.2%) in moderate or severe food insecurity in 2020 in Bangladesh. It was much higher than the overall increase of 3.7 percentage-points.

•Low share (25%) of population primarily relies on clean fuels and technology for cooking at home

•Deaths attributable to ambient air pollution – one of the highest in the world