People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024

The report finds that June through August 2024 was Earth's hottest season on record, with human-induced climate change significantly increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat worldwide. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the analysis shows that one in four people experienced temperatures made at least three times more likely by climate change every day of the season. Global exposure peaked on August 13, 2024, affecting 4.1 billion people. The average person experienced 17 additional 'risky heat days' (temperatures above the 90th percentile) due to climate change. Over 2 billion people experienced 30 or more such days, with extreme concentrations in the Caribbean, Western Asia, Micronesia, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe. Additionally, 72 countries experienced their hottest June-August period since 1970, and 180 Northern Hemisphere cities faced dangerous extreme heat waves that were, on average, 21 times more likely due to human-caused warming.

• June through August 2024 was the hottest season on record for Earth, with a peak in global exposure on August 13, 2024, when 4.1 billion people—50% of the global population—experienced unusual heat made at least three times more likely by climate change.
• One in four people globally had no break from climate change-driven heat during the season, experiencing temperatures at Climate Shift Index (CSI) level 3 or higher every day from June 1 to August 31, 2024.
• Human-induced climate change added an average of 17 risky heat days per person during the three-month period. Risky heat days are defined as temperatures hotter than 90% of local temperatures recorded from 1991-2020.
• Over 2 billion people (26% of the global population) experienced 30 or more risky heat days made at least three times more likely by climate change. This impact was most severe in the Caribbean (99.7% of the population) and in Western Asia (90%), Micronesia (92%), Northern Africa (76%), and Southern Europe (73%).
• Seventy-two countries, representing more than 2.3 billion people, had their hottest June-August period since at least 1970. In these countries, the average person experienced a very strong climate change influence (CSI level 3 or higher) on 34 of the 92 days.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, 180 cities experienced at least one dangerous extreme heat wave (five or more consecutive days above the 99th percentile of 1991-2020 temperatures). Such events are, on average, 21 times more likely today due to human-caused climate change.

APA

Climate Central (2024). People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/47T3SeXG9B40B12GhHW89h/16ed6591ea594637867cc9d7acf0720a/Climate_Central_People_Exposed_to_Climate_Change__June-August_2024.pdf

Chicago

Climate Central. People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024. 2024. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/47T3SeXG9B40B12GhHW89h/16ed6591ea594637867cc9d7acf0720a/Climate_Central_People_Exposed_to_Climate_Change__June-August_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024 |date=18 September 2024 |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/47T3SeXG9B40B12GhHW89h/16ed6591ea594637867cc9d7acf0720a/Climate_Central_People_Exposed_to_Climate_Change__June-August_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2024people, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/47T3SeXG9B40B12GhHW89h/16ed6591ea594637867cc9d7acf0720a/Climate_Central_People_Exposed_to_Climate_Change__June-August_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }