“Unveiling the Alarming Reality of Climate Change: 26 Extra Days of Extreme Heat”
A recent report has revealed the alarming impact of climate change on global temperatures, showing that the world has experienced an average of 26 additional days of extreme heat over the past year. This increase in extreme heat days is directly attributed to human-caused global warming.
Extreme heat is defined as temperatures that fall within the top 10 percent of what a particular country typically experiences. The study analyzed data from 1991 to 2020 to establish a baseline and compared it to temperatures recorded in the 12 months leading up to May 15, 2024. The results showed a significant increase in extreme heat days globally, affecting approximately 80 percent of the population, or around 6.3 billion people.
The report, published by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, World Weather Attribution scientific network, and Climate Central, highlighted that extreme heat waves have become a global phenomenon. In the last 12 months, 76 extreme heat waves were registered in 90 different countries across every continent except Antarctica.
Some countries were particularly hard hit by extreme heat, with Suriname, Ecuador, Guyana, El Salvador, and Panama experiencing a significant increase in extreme heat days compared to what they would have experienced without climate change.
Extreme heat is a deadly threat that claims tens of thousands of lives each year, with potentially hundreds of thousands or even millions of deaths going unreported. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with preexisting conditions, are especially at risk from the health complications caused by extreme heat.
The report emphasizes the urgent need to address climate change and mitigate its effects to protect public health. Measures such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, and developing early warning systems are crucial to combatting the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves.
As global temperatures continue to rise, the consequences of extreme heat are becoming more severe. It is essential for the global community to come together to ensure that everyone has access to the resources and support needed to cope with the challenges posed by climate change.