Unprecedented Heat Alert: Study Reveals Half the World Endures an Extra Month of Scorching Temperatures

In a revealing new study, researchers found that half of the world’s population faced an additional month of intense heat over the past year due to human-induced climate change. This research emphasizes how burning fossil fuels continues to threaten health and well-being across the globe, particularly in less developed regions where these impacts often go unnoticed.

“Every barrel of oil burned and every ton of carbon dioxide released leads to more people affected by heat waves,” stated Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and one of the report’s authors.

Conducted by experts from World Weather Attribution, Climate Central, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, this analysis was timed to align with global Heat Action Day on June 2, aimed at raising awareness of heat exhaustion and heat stroke dangers.

Researchers focused on extreme heat days—defined as days exceeding 90% of the average temperatures recorded between 1991 and 2020. They compared the actual number of these days against a theoretical scenario without human-caused warming. The results showed that around 4 billion people, or 49% of the global population, experienced at least 30 more days of extreme heat than they would have in a cooler climate.

The study identified 67 extreme heat events throughout the year, noting that climate change had a clear impact on all of them. Aruba felt the brunt of these temperatures, facing 187 extreme heat days—45 more than expected without climate change.

This comes on the heels of a record-setting year. In 2024, global temperatures soared, making it the hottest year on record, with January 2025 marking the hottest January. Current global temperatures are 1.3 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, and 2024 alone exceeded the 1.5°C limit outlined in the Paris Agreement.

A striking concern is the lack of data on heat-related health issues in poorer regions. For instance, while Europe reported over 61,000 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022, similar data is hard to come by elsewhere, with many deaths wrongly attributed to conditions like heart disease.

Experts suggest that the solution isn’t just adapting to these extremes but also includes significant changes to our energy systems. Early warning systems, educational outreach, and local heat action plans are essential. Improving building designs to include better shading and ventilation, along with public awareness on avoiding strenuous activities during extreme heat, can help. However, phasing out fossil fuels quickly remains crucial to tackle the escalating frequency and intensity of these heat waves.

For more on this pressing issue, you can check out resources from the [World Meteorological Organization](https://public.wmo.int/en) and the [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change](https://www.ipcc.ch/).

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climate change, heat waves