CAPITAL – May 21, 2024 – A recent study reveals that global warming is substantially impacting billions worldwide. The World Weather Attribution analysis found that nearly half the global population is experiencing more extreme heat, with events becoming more frequent and intense.Highlighting the 5 Ws, the study underscores the urgency to address the effects of global warming, projecting a call to action on how we can help. experts support the findings of this research,with additional analysis expected soon.
Global Warming Fuels Extreme Heat: A New Analysis Reveals Widespread Impact
A groundbreaking study reveals that nearly half of the world’s population is now experiencing substantially more extreme heat due to global warming. The analysis, conducted by scientists from World Weather Attribution, Central Climate Center, and Red Cross and Red Crescent, underscores the escalating consequences of climate change.
The research highlights a stark reality: extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and intense, impacting billions across the globe. The findings were released ahead of the World Action day of Heat on June 2, which this year focuses on the dangers of heat exhaustion.
Key Findings: A World Under Heat
- Widespread Impact: Approximately 4 billion people, or 49% of the global population, endured at least 30 days of extreme heat beyond what would be expected in a world without human-caused warming.
- Extreme Heat Days: Researchers defined “extreme heat days” as those exceeding the 90th percentile of average temperatures recorded between 1991 and 2020.
- Global Imprint: The study identified 67 episodes of extreme heat over the past year, each bearing the unmistakable mark of global warming.
- Hottest Year on Record: The year 2024 surpassed 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded, with 2025 experiencing the warmest January on record.
Aruba: A Case Study in Extreme Heat
The Caribbean island of aruba stands out as one of the most severely affected regions. The study revealed that Aruba experienced 187 days of extreme heat, a staggering 45 days more than would be anticipated without climate change.
The science Behind the Heat
To assess the influence of global warming, researchers compared current conditions to a simulated world devoid of human-induced warming. This comparison allowed them to quantify the extent to which climate change is driving extreme heat events.
Friederike Otto, climatologist at Imperial College London and co-author of the analysis, emphasized the direct link between fossil fuel consumption and escalating heat waves:
With each barrel of burned oil, each tonne of released carbon dioxide and each fraction of warming, heat waves will effect more people.
Friederike Otto, Imperial College London
The Human Cost: Data Gaps and Health Impacts
The report also sheds light on a critical gap in data regarding heat-related health impacts, notably in the world’s poorest regions. While Europe documented over 61,000 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022, similar data is scarce for other parts of the globe.
Many heat-related deaths are frequently enough misattributed to other causes, such as heart or pulmonary diseases, obscuring the true toll of extreme heat.
