Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat: Assessing and Addressing the Risks

The report finds that human-induced climate change significantly increased the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat globally from May 2023 to May 2024. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the study determined that 6.3 billion people experienced at least 31 days of extreme heat made at least twice as likely by climate change. It identifies 76 extreme heat waves across 90 countries and highlights critical gaps in impact reporting, particularly in developing regions. The authors advocate for City Heat Action Plans and systemic adaptations to prevent heat-related fatalities.

• Approximately 78% of the global population (6.3 billion people) experienced at least 31 days of extreme heat—defined as temperatures hotter than 90% of local observations from 1991-2020—that was made at least two times more likely due to human-induced climate change.
• The study identified 76 extreme heat waves across 90 countries, with the highest Probability Ratio (PR) occurring in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia (PR of 35) from March 7-12, 2024.
• Certain regions experienced extreme heat that would have been impossible without human-induced climate change, including the Sahel region, West Africa, Thailand, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Southern Europe, Mexico, and the southern United States.
• Suriname, Ecuador, Guyana, El Salvador, and Panama were the five countries where the average person experienced the most days of extreme heat above their local level, with Suriname leading at 182 days.
• Global mortality figures for heat are likely severe underestimates because many countries lack comprehensive death records and heat-related deaths are often misattributed to other causes like cardiac arrest or kidney failure.
• To reduce heat risks, the report recommends the implementation of City Heat Action Plans (HAPs), which are currently lacking in South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Small Island Nations.

APA

Climate Central (2024). Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat: Assessing and Addressing the Risks. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/5sjPWtBWuPk56xVZKuuL3g/fe050dd8d61e8b2a7e3a315a4b75b22f/Climate_Change_and_the_Escalation_of_Global_Extreme_Heat_Climate_Central.pdf

Chicago

Climate Central. Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat: Assessing and Addressing the Risks. 2024. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/5sjPWtBWuPk56xVZKuuL3g/fe050dd8d61e8b2a7e3a315a4b75b22f/Climate_Change_and_the_Escalation_of_Global_Extreme_Heat_Climate_Central.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat: Assessing and Addressing the Risks |date=28 May 2024 |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/5sjPWtBWuPk56xVZKuuL3g/fe050dd8d61e8b2a7e3a315a4b75b22f/Climate_Change_and_the_Escalation_of_Global_Extreme_Heat_Climate_Central.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2024climate, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{Climate Change and the Escalation of Global Extreme Heat: Assessing and Addressing the Risks}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/5sjPWtBWuPk56xVZKuuL3g/fe050dd8d61e8b2a7e3a315a4b75b22f/Climate_Change_and_the_Escalation_of_Global_Extreme_Heat_Climate_Central.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }