MORE people are vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change than ever before, according to research from the University of York.

The 2018 Lancet Countdown Report, which monitors climate change and health over time, along with commitments made by governments under the Paris Climate Agreement, was released this week, and included research from the university.

This year's report found 157 million more people were exposed to heatwave events in 2017 compared with 2000, 18 million more people were exposed to heatwave events in 2017 compared to 2016, and the average person experienced an additional 1.4 days of heatwaves per year in 2017 compared with 2000.

It also found 153 billion hours of labour were lost in 2017 due to heat, an increase of more than 62 billion hours (3.2 billion weeks of work) since 2000, and between 2010 and 2016, air pollution concentrations worsened in 70 per cent of cities worldwide.

Despite the increased health risks, the report claimed there had been a lack of progress in reducing fossil fuel emissions and in improving how health impacts were dealt with.

Professor Hilary Graham from the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, said: "The health impacts we are seeing today are early warnings of the dangers that lie ahead if global temperatures continue to rise. How current generations respond will determine the conditions for the health of our children and the generations to come.

"Despite delays, some sectors are embarking on a low-carbon transition, which is a promising sign. It is clear that the nature and scale of the response to climate change will be the determining factor in shaping the health of nations for centuries to come."