Shocking Report: 4 Billion People Faced an Extra Month of Extreme Heat Due to Climate Change

Four billion people faced extreme heat from May 2024 to May 2025 due to human-caused climate change. This heatwave brought serious problems: illness, deaths, lost crops, and added strain on energy and healthcare systems. A report by World Weather Attribution, Climate Central, and the Red Cross highlighted that heat is one of the deadliest climate events, often overlooked compared to floods and storms.

Notably, many heat-related deaths go unreported. Instead, they might be labeled as heart disease or kidney failure. This makes it even harder to grasp the real impact of extreme heat.

Scientists used thorough methods to analyze how much climate change increased temperatures during this heat wave. They found that every country has seen a rise in extreme heat days, often doubling since before climate change.

Some of the hardest-hit areas were Caribbean islands. For instance, Puerto Rico experienced 161 days of extreme heat, up from just 48 in a climate-neutral world. Charlotte Gossett Navarro from the Hispanic Federation mentioned the difficulty of being outdoors during this heat. She noted that power outages—common due to ongoing grid issues—make it even tougher to cope.

Friederike Otto, a climate scientist, emphasized that heatwaves are "silent killers." Many people don’t collapse in the street; they become victims in hospitals or poorly insulated homes. Vulnerable groups, including low-income families, older adults, and individuals with health conditions, suffer the most.

Remarkably, recent data shows that heatwaves recorded in places like Central Asia and South Sudan wouldn’t have happened without climate change. For example, temperatures in Morocco soared to 48°C last July, contributing to the deaths of at least 21 people.

To combat these extreme heat events, experts suggest strategies like improved monitoring, emergency health services, and making cities more heat-resilient. However, they warn that without reducing fossil fuel use, heatwaves will only worsen, making these protective measures less effective over time.

Understanding how heat affects our lives and being proactive can make a difference. As global temperatures rise, the call for action becomes ever more crucial. For more in-depth information, check out the World Weather Attribution report.

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