Extreme Heat Shatters Global Temperature Records: UN Weather Agency Warns of Ongoing Crisis


Geneva: Extreme heat is setting unprecedented records worldwide, exacerbated by wildfires and deteriorating air quality, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Thursday. The agency highlighted the alarming trend of rising temperatures and their dire consequences on human health and the environment.



According to EMM, extreme temperatures have resulted in approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, with the majority of fatalities occurring in Europe and Asia. Urban areas are particularly vulnerable due to the urban heat island effect, where dense city regions experience significantly higher temperatures than their rural counterparts. This phenomenon is intensifying as urbanization progresses.



Southeast Europe has faced severe heatwaves and wildfire outbreaks, with Türkiye experiencing a record national high temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius. In Asia, major temperature spikes were recorded in the Himalayas, China, and Japan during July, continuing into August. West Asia, southern Central Asia, the southwestern US, much of North Africa, and southern Pakistan witnessed temperatures surpassing 42 degrees Celsius, with some regions exceeding 45 degrees Celsius.



Southwestern Iran and eastern Iraq endured extreme temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius, severely impacting essential services like electricity and water supplies, education, and labor. Morocco and Korea also issued widespread heat warnings, with new temperature records being set in parts of China and Japan.



Looking ahead, the World Meteorological Centre in Beijing predicts that heatwaves will persist across the affected regions, including the Iberian Peninsula and northern Mexico, with temperatures expected to reach between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, North Africa, and the southwestern US could witness temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius.



In Canada, one of the most severe wildfire seasons on record has resulted in the burning of 6.6 million hectares, leading to poor air quality across several provinces and northern US states. The smoke from these fires has crossed the Atlantic, affecting parts of Western and Central Europe. Cyprus, Greece, and Türkiye have also battled wildfires, causing evacuations and fatalities.



WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett emphasized that extreme heat, often referred to as the silent killer, is preventable with today’s science and technology. The WMO is working to enhance heat early warning systems and develop heat-health action plans to protect at-risk populations. The organization is part of a UN initiative to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat through global cooperation and policy changes, with a focus on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.



The WMO and WHO estimate that expanding heat-health warning systems in 57 countries could save nearly 100,000 lives annually. Joy Shumake-Guillemot, lead of the WHO-WMO Climate and Health Joint Programme, stressed the importance of connecting science, policy, and action to ensure no community is left behind in adapting to climate change, framing the issue as a public health emergency.