The world has experienced an average of 41 additional days of dangerous heat in 2024 due to climate change, according to a new analysis conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA) and Climate Central.
This report warns that all countries must prepare for the increasing climate risks to minimize deaths and damages in 2025 and beyond.
Impact of Climate Change in 2024
The report concludes that climate change intensified 26 out of the 29 weather events studied, which resulted in at least 3,700 deaths and displaced millions.
Friederike Otto, director of WWA and professor of Climate Science at Imperial College London, stated: “The impacts of warming from fossil fuels have never been clearer or more devastating than in 2024.” Otto added that the main resolution for 2025 should be the transition towards abandoning fossil fuels.
Millions of people exposed to dangerous heat
It is projected that 2024 will be the hottest year on record, with 41 additional days of dangerous heat due to human-induced warming. These days represent 10% of the hottest temperatures between 1991 and 2020, exposing millions of people to dangerous temperatures for longer periods throughout the year.
“Extreme weather kills thousands, forces millions to leave their homes, and causes relentless suffering,” Otto pointed out. Scientists warn that if the world does not quickly move away from oil, gas, and coal, the number of dangerous heat days will continue to increase each year.
Extreme Weather Events
The heat in 2024 has also led to heatwaves, droughts, fires, storms, and heavy rains. Out of the 29 most impactful weather events studied, clear evidence of climate change was shown in 26 of them.
The floods in Nigeria, Sudan, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad were the deadliest event, with at least 2,000 fatalities and millions displaced.
<hurricane Helene, which left 230 dead in six states in the United States, was one of the deadliest in 50 years. Climate change made the high sea temperatures that fueled Helene between 200 and 500 times more likely, increasing devastating rainfall by 10%.
Resolutions for 2025
The report sets forth four key resolutions to address climate change and protect people from extreme weather events:
- Accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels.
- Enhance early warning systems.
- Real-time reporting of heat-related deaths.
- International financing to help developing countries become more resilient.
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