A recent study warned about the significant effects of increased heat stress levels on the public health of billions of people worldwide due to the rising heatwaves associated with climate change.
The study, published in the journal "Nature Climate Change," analyzed climate data spanning over 70 years from the ERA5-HEAT database, along with population data, to assess how much humans are exposed to dangerous levels of heat in different parts of the world.
The results showed that nearly 70% of the world's population currently faces at least 90 days annually of extreme heat stress, compared to about 55% during the 1970s.
The study also revealed that nighttime heat index temperatures have risen faster than daytime temperatures, making it harder for the body to recover from the effects of heat, especially during prolonged heatwaves.
Researchers noted that the intensity of heat stress has increased across all continents over the past five decades, including areas that have not historically been exposed to such conditions, like parts of Europe, where recent heatwaves have caused thousands of additional deaths.
Rebecca Emerton, the lead author of the study and a senior scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stated that heat stress is no longer a future threat but is already affecting people's lives around the world, noting that extreme heat is one of the most climate-related phenomena causing deaths.
Children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma, are among the most vulnerable groups to the complications of high heat.
The researchers urged governments to enhance plans to address the effects of heat, develop early warning systems, and rely on heat stress indicators when formulating climate adaptation plans, rather than solely measuring air temperatures.