The year 2024 has so far seen an average of 41 extra days of “dangerous heat” around the world that have caused “unrelenting suffering” due to climate change. The report from World Weather Attribution ( WWA ) and Climate Central concluded that climate change intensified 26 of the 29 extreme weather phenomena targeted in the study, responsible for killing at least 3,700 people and causing the displacement of millions of citizens. WWA is made up of researchers from various scientific and university institutions and has protocols and partnerships with local experts that allow for rapid assessment of extreme weather phenomena around the world, also using climate models and specialized literature. The two organisations defined the “dangerous heat” days of more than 200 countries and territories by analysing the average temperatures in these areas between 1991 and 2020 and identifying the 10% hottest percentile, with the values usually associated with greater health risks. Calculating the average number of days hotter than normal in different territories, it was concluded that 2024 had 41 more days of “dangerous heat” in the world than in a scenario without climate change. “This is in line with the broader trend that, as the planet continues to warm, the effects of climate change increasingly dominate other natural factors that influence climate,” the scientists warned. The study’s authors called for a “much faster” transition away from fossil fuels and greater preparedness by countries for extreme weather. Among the recommendations are real-time reporting on deaths due to extreme heat and increased international funding to help developing countries become more resilient. The non-governmental organisation Climate Central , based in the United States, studies climate change and its impact on people’s lives. Joseph Giguere, a research associate at Climate Central, highlighted that temperatures high enough to threaten human health “are […]
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