Current Affairs 01 November 2025

PM2.5 Pollution Caused 1.7 Million Deaths in India: says Lancet Report.

• The deaths were up 38% since 2010, with fossil fuels causing 44% (752,000 deaths) — chiefly from coal (394,000) and petrol (269,000).
• Economic loss: USD 339.4 billion (~₹30 lakh crore), equal to 9.5% of GDP; air pollution deaths exceeded COVID fatalities in India.
• Indoor pollution caused 113 deaths/100,000, higher in rural (125) than urban (99) areas, highlighting severe health inequity.

Lancet Warns of Record Climate-Linked Health Crisis Worldwide.

• Two-thirds of climate-health indicators hit record highs; 546,000 heat deaths yearly, up 23% since 1990s, with 2.5 Million fossil fuel–linked deaths and $956 Billion spent on subsidies in 2023.
• 2024 was the hottest year ever, causing 639 Billion labour hours lost ($1.09Trillion) and worsening food insecurity for 123 Milion people.
• There were 11.8 million diet-related deaths in 2022.

2024 Sets Record Climate and Health Extremes: Lancet.

• 15 of 87 top emitters, including Saudi, Iran, Egypt & Venezuela, spent more on fossil fuel subsidies than health budgets in 2023, despite causing 93% of global CO₂ emissions.
• 2024 marked record highs — 61% global drought, 154,000 wildfire smoke deaths & 64% land with extreme rainfall.
• Infants & elderly faced 389% & 304% rise in heatwave exposure; 123.7M more people suffered food insecurity.

China, US Reach One-Year Truce on Rare Earth Exports.

• China paused export controls on rare earths for one year after talks between Xi Jinping & Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, easing trade tensions.
• US to cut tariffs on Chinese imports from 57% to 47%, while China resumes soybean purchases & pledges stronger action against fentanyl trafficking.
• China dominates the sector, controlling 70% of global production & 90% of processing capacity.

Heatwaves Slash Labour Output, Raise Health Risks: Lancet.

• Indians faced 19.8 heatwave days in 2024, with 6.6 days directly linked to climate change.
• Heat exposure caused a record 247 billion labour hours lost, led by agriculture (66%) and construction (20%), worth $373 million.
• Dengue cases nearly doubled in a decade; 18 million people live <1 m above sea level.
• Tree cover fell by 2.33 million ha (2001–2023), and urban greenness dropped 3.6%.