Climate Change Could Trigger New Pandemics, Warns Former WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan
As the world continues to grapple with the long-term impact of COVID-19, experts are warning that climate change may fuel the emergence of new viruses and future pandemics. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and rapid biodiversity loss are increasing the chances of viruses spilling over from animals to humans, former World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said during a lecture in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Unanswered Questions Around COVID-19 Origins
Addressing the lingering debate over the origins of COVID-19, Swaminathan said that scientists still lack crucial data from the Wuhan laboratory to draw firm conclusions.
“We did not receive the data from the Wuhan lab needed to draw a definite conclusion. But the hypothesis that the virus was deliberately manufactured and released to infect people worldwide has very little scientific basis,” she said, as quoted by The Hindu.
She added that while the precise origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear, the virus may have jumped to humans through an intermediate animal host.
How Climate Change Is Altering Virus Behaviour
Swaminathan highlighted growing evidence that climate change is influencing how viruses mutate and spread. Warmer temperatures and environmental stress are making it easier for pathogens to cross species barriers.
Citing the H1N1 influenza virus, she noted that it has increasingly jumped from birds to mammals, and in some cases to humans—an alarming trend that raises the risk of future outbreaks and pandemics.
Biodiversity Loss Raises Health Risks
She also warned that biodiversity loss is compounding the problem. According to global estimates, nearly one million species are at risk of extinction, a development that could destabilise ecosystems and increase human exposure to new pathogens.
Global temperatures have already breached the 1.5°C threshold, she said, and could rise to 2.5–3°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century if current trends continue.
Extreme Weather and Public Health
Swaminathan pointed out that climate-driven disasters—such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, landslides and cyclones—are becoming more frequent and severe. These events not only disrupt livelihoods but also worsen health outcomes and drive climate-linked migration.
“Mitigation and adaptation are both critical,” she stressed.
Policy Solutions Already Exist
Delivering the 13th Dr. Manohar V. N. Shirodkar Memorial Lecture, Swaminathan underlined the role of strong public policy in tackling climate and health challenges.
“We are already experiencing the health impacts of heat and air pollution. Thankfully, there are solutions. China has done it, and so has London,” she said, pointing to measures such as a shift to renewable energy, improved public transport, better waste management, diversified agriculture and energy-efficient buildings.
She emphasised that human activities remain the primary drivers of climate change.
Global Cooperation Is Essential
Drawing parallels between pandemics and climate change, Swaminathan said both are global threats that transcend national borders.
“They do not respect borders,” she said, stressing that international cooperation and the sharing of scientific knowledge—despite political differences—are essential to effectively tackle future health and climate crises.
Comments are closed.