Global populations experienced an alarming average of 41 additional days of extreme heat in 2024 due to climate change induced by human activities. Researchers from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central reported that the impact of climate change intensified various hazardous weather conditions throughout the year.
This year set a concerning trend, with multiple climate records being broken, making 2024 potentially the hottest year recorded. This surge in heat coincided with numerous destructive weather phenomena, leaving many regions reeling. “The results, while devastating, are not surprising; climate change significantly contributed to many of the events analyzed, amplifying the likelihood and severity of heat, droughts, tropical storms, and intense rainfall, which devastated countless lives,” stated Friederike Otto, a leading scientist at World Weather Attribution and climate expert at Imperial College, during a media briefing. Otto warned that continued reliance on fossil fuels would only exacerbate these issues.
Across the globe, millions faced oppressive heat this year. Northern California and Death Valley sweltered, while Mexico and Central America experienced scorching daytime conditions. The heat posed serious risks to vulnerable populations, especially children in West Africa. Southern Europe saw soaring temperatures that led to the temporary closure of the Acropolis in Greece, and schools were shut down in parts of South and Southeast Asia due to extreme heat. This year included some of the hottest recorded days and an uninterrupted heatwave that persisted for 13 months.
The research team examined global temperature data in 2024 against what would likely be expected in a climate change-free world. Although their findings have not yet undergone peer review, they employed established methods common in scientific research.
Some regions experienced over 150 days of extreme heat attributed to climate change. “The least developed nations are bearing the brunt of these increases,” commented Kristina Dahl, vice president of climate science at Climate Central.
Tragically, fatalities associated with heatwaves are frequently underreported. Otto emphasized the importance of raising awareness about this issue, noting, “People don’t have to perish during heatwaves. However, illustrating the often-overlooked statistic of heat-related deaths is crucial for generating urgency around the subject.” She added that heatwaves are the deadliest extreme weather events, where the influence of climate change is markedly significant.
The findings serve as a stark reminder that global temperatures are nearing the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold established by the Paris Agreement, which is based on pre-industrial averages. Scientists caution that Earth is expected to soon exceed this limit, though it would not be officially considered breached until this level of warming is consistently sustained over decades.
The researchers conducted in-depth analyses of 29 extreme weather incidents in 2024 which resulted in over 3,700 fatalities and the displacement of millions. They established strong links between 26 of these events and climate change. While the El Niño phenomenon, which artificially warms the Pacific Ocean, contributed to some of the extreme weather earlier in the year, the researchers concluded that climate change played a more significant role in escalating the severity of 2024’s weather events. Warmer seas and air exacerbated storm intensity and led to unprecedented rainfall.
Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist from the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, affirmed the validity of the findings, stating, “Until we reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, we will continue to experience increasingly frequent, intense, and deadly extreme weather.”
The United Nations Environment Programme warned that without immediate action, the frequency and severity of climate extremes will continue to rise, as more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion. However, as Julie Arrighi, director of programmes at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre stated, such disasters are not a foregone conclusion. She emphasized that nations can mitigate these impacts by actively preparing for and adapting to climate change, highlighting the shared responsibility of all countries in overcoming the challenges posed by climate change.
