More than 60 per cent of the worlds population faced extreme heat in mid-June that occurred at least three times more likely by climate change. Among the affected, 171 million people of Bangladesh experienced this intense heat, according to rapid attribution analysis by the Scientists of Science at Climate Central.
The last few weeks have seen extreme temperatures soaring around the world. Every heatwave is now made stronger and more likely by climate change, caused by burning oil, gas, coal, and deforestation, according to a press release of Science at Climate Central.
Scientists at Climate Central analyzed the role of climate change on global temperatures over the period June 16 to 24 and estimated the number of people affected.
They found that 4.97 billion people experienced extreme heat made at least three times more likely by climate change. This includes 619 million people in India, 579 million in China, 231 million in Indonesia, 206 million in Nigeria, 176 million in Brazil, 171 million in Bangladesh, 165 million in the US, 152 million in Europe (excluding Russia), 123 million in Mexico, 121 million in Ethiopia, and 103 million in Egypt.
In Saudi Arabia, at least 1,300 people have died from heat-related illnesses during this years Hajj pilgrimage. Temperatures were extremely high, with some cities exceeding 50ºC.
The Climate Centrals analysis found that the city of Makkah has been experiencing temperatures made at least three times more likely due to climate change every day since May 18 and five times more likely since May 24.
A previous analysis by climate scientists at Climameter found that climate change, caused by burning oil, gas, and coal, made the heatwave in Saudi Arabia up to 2.5ºC hotter.
In Greece, the Acropolis in Athens had to be shut due to temperatures above 43ºC - very high for this time of year. Temperatures were also extremely high in other parts of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and North Africa, the release stated.
The US has suffered from two back-to-back heat episodes in the last few days. The first heatwave affected the southern part of the country, Mexico, and countries in Central America.
In Mexico, at least 125 people died. On June 21, temperatures reached 52ºC in the Sonora state. A few days later, large parts of the eastern coast of the US experienced an intense heatwave.
In New York, health officials reported a 500-600pc increase in heat-related emergency visits. Temperatures were made up to 2ºC hotter due to climate change, according to a rapid analysis by Climameter.
The extreme temperatures are also impacting the COPA America football tournament. An assistant referee collapsed due to the heat during the match between Peru and Canada, when temperatures hit 38ºC and humidity levels were above 50pc.
In India, one of the countrys worst-ever and long-running heatwaves, which finally relented in mid-June, left more than 40,000 people with heatstroke, with over 100 dead. Temperatures approached 50ºC, with a nighttime low of 37ºC, reportedly the highest ever recorded in India, it stated.
China is also enduring extreme heat, with temperatures of 50ºC, reportedly the highest ever recorded in June, and nighttime temperatures in the mid-30s. The city of Wuhan has warned it may start rationing electricity to cope with the extra demand from air conditioners.
The heat has also extended to the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the middle of winter. In Paraguay, temperatures passed 38ºC, the hottest June day in its recorded history, while in Peru they reached 36ºC, also a record.
Extreme heat is one of the best-documented effects of climate change, which is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, coal, and deforestation. Due to human-caused warming, extreme heatwaves that occurred once every 50 years now occur nearly five times more often (or once every 10.4 years) and are 1.5ºC degrees warmer, according to the IPCC, the UNs panel of top climate scientists.
If the world only reduces fossil fuel use as slowly as currently planned - which would lead to the world warming nearly 3ºC - these extreme heatwaves that used to happen only twice a century would occur roughly every three years.
Andrew Pershing, VP for Science at Climate Central said, "More than a century of burning coal, oil, and natural gas has given us an increasingly dangerous world. The heatwaves popping up around the world this summer are unnatural disasters that will become more and more common until carbon pollution stops."
Frances Centre National de la Recherche Scientifiques (CNRS) climate researcher Davide Faranda said, "ClimaMeters report highlights that the deadly heat during this years Hajj is directly linked to fossil fuel burning and has affected the most vulnerable pilgrims. Only reducing fossil fuel combustion can prevent reaching critical temperature thresholds and avoid transforming these significant religious events into recurrent tragedies."
Client Earth lawyer Johnny White said, "The climate crisis is the greatest threat to human rights globally.
Loss of life and harm to peoples wellbeing will only increase if systemic emitters don rapidly rein in the fossil fuels driving dangerous heat spikes and other extreme weather events."
