health
March 10, 2026
'A sobering preview': extreme heat now affects one in three people globally, study finds
Rising temperatures making it hard even for young, healthy people to safely do normal physical tasks in many regions
TL;DR
- A third of the world's population now lives in areas where extreme heat severely limits safe outdoor activity.
- Rising temperatures due to fossil fuel burning make basic physical activities difficult, especially for the elderly.
- Poorer countries and regions are disproportionately affected, despite contributing less to climate breakdown.
- South-west Asia, South Asia, and parts of West Africa are among the worst-affected regions.
- Wealthier individuals in some regions can mitigate risks with air conditioning, unlike poorer workers.
- The study measured 'liveability' based on human capacity to perform activities in different temperatures.
- Researchers combined physiological studies with decades of global data on population, temperature, and development.
- The findings underscore the necessity of rapid action to reduce global heating and direct resources to affected communities.
- Experts warn that every fraction of a degree of warming will expand these impacts, with 2024 serving as a preview of a 1.5C world.
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