London - Saba:
Half the world's population experienced an extra month of extreme heat last year due to human-caused climate change, according to a new study published on Friday.
The study found that continued burning of fossil fuels is harming health and well-being on every continent, noting that the impacts are often under-recognized in developing countries, according to Reuters.
"With every barrel of oil burned, every ton of carbon dioxide released, and every fraction of a degree of warming, heatwaves will affect more people," said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and co-author of the report.
The analysis, conducted by scientists at World Weather Attribution, Climate Central, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center, was published days before World Heat Action Day on June 2, which this year highlights the risks of heat stress and heatstroke.
To analyze the impact of global warming, the researchers examined the period from May 1, 2024, to May 1, 2025.
They defined "extreme heat days" as days with temperatures exceeding 90 percent of those recorded in the same location from 1991 to 2020.
Using a simulation approach whose results were reviewed by independent analysts, the study authors compared the number of extreme heat days recorded with the number in a hypothetical world unaffected by human-induced warming.
The results were shocking: nearly 4 billion people, or 49% of the world's population, experienced at least 30 more days of extreme heat than a world without climate change.
The team monitored 67 extreme heat waves during the year, finding the signature of climate change in every one.
The Caribbean island of Aruba was the hardest hit, recording 187 days of extreme heat, 45 more than would have been expected without climate change.
This study follows a year that set unprecedented global temperatures. 2024 was the hottest year on record, surpassing 2023, and January 2023 was the hottest January ever.
On average, global temperatures are now 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels, and in 2024 alone, they exceeded the symbolic limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement by 1.5°C.
The report also highlighted the lack of data on the health impact of heat, particularly in low-income countries.
While Europe recorded more than 61 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022, there is no comparable data for other regions, and heat-related deaths are often attributed to heart or respiratory diseases.
The researchers emphasized the importance of early warning systems, public awareness, and city-specific climate action plans.
Improved building design, including shading and ventilation, and behavior modification, such as avoiding strenuous activities during peak heat, are also essential.
However, adaptation alone will not be enough. The study authors warned that the only way to halt the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme heat is to rapidly phase out fossil fuels.
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