Young men in Sri Lanka’s rural areas are experiencing high rates of kidney disease, requiring dialysis or transplants.
The disease is likely caused by extreme heat, worsened by climate change, and pesticide-contaminated water.
Many affected communities lack access to clean water and rely on well water for daily use, exacerbating the problem.
Key quote:
“Sri Lanka has made the perfect case for how climate change is affecting people in real time.”
— Nishad Jayasundara, expert in global environmental health at Duke University.
Why this matters:
Kidney disease linked to climate change and water contamination is affecting vulnerable communities globally. Addressing these environmental health risks is crucial to prevent widespread health crises.
Kidney disease has become epidemic among Nepali migrant laborers working in the extreme heat of the Persian Gulf, presaging the world's climate change future.
In Port Arthur, Tex., and around the country, environmental justice activists see danger as the new climate law pairs renewable development with fossil fuels.
The scramble to save lives is a challenging reality that many hospitals and medical workers are facing again this year as severe weather-related health emergencies escalate because of extreme climate events.
