A rising share of people are exposed to dangerously high temperatures
Climate change and population distribution are the cause
As climate-change models predicted, the frequency and intensity of sweltering days has increased recently. Records were broken in Europe this week as a heatwave gripped the continent. Britain set a new maximum temperature record of 40.3°C (104.5°F), shattering the 38.7°C set in 2019. Since the 1980s temperatures have risen in the world’s cooler regions, exposing more people to stifling heat. Meanwhile, population growth has been fastest in the hottest countries, increasing the share of humanity affected.
This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “The scorched Earth”
From the July 23rd 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Graphic detail
A short history of Syria, in maps
The most influential people, groups and events that shaped Syria’s role in the Middle East
Is Javier Milei’s economic gamble working?
Inflation has plunged in Argentina, but some vital goods have soared in price
How to make sense of 2024’s wild temperatures
Our climate team highlight four charts and two maps
What New York’s congestion charge could teach the rest of America
Lighter traffic in some parts of the city is a promising start. Will it continue?
The secret to one of Europe’s best-performing stockmarkets
Its economy is mired in gloom, but its stock exchange is the envy of Europe
Drones spotted on America’s east coast highlight a bigger problem
Unidentified objects can be dangerous, but not in the ways you might think