A report by the EU’s Copernicus climate monitoring program has sounded the alarm about scorching temperatures of 50°C (122°F) that may hit four continents this summer. The report predicts a 70% chance of record-breaking temperatures in 2024.
Pre-industrial heat waves used to occur once every 10 years, but scientists now predict that they will occur 2.8 times more frequently and at a temperature 1.2°C higher. Heat records have been shattered this year, with some regions reaching 50°C.
New Delhi, India, experienced a severe heat wave that lasted 38 consecutive days, killing at least 110 people. In the United States, 86 million people have been affected, and cooling centers have been set up in cities like New York.
Other countries experiencing extreme heat include Arizona, New Mexico, Greece, Turkey, and Romania, where wildfires are spreading. At least five people have died in Turkey’s wildfires, and dozens are injured.
Temperatures of 50°C have also been recorded in Mexico, where at least 125 people have died from heat stroke. In the Middle East, Jordan reported hundreds of deaths during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, with temperatures reaching 51°C.
In Europe, cities like Rome are experiencing heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 50°C. Greenpeace representatives have measured temperatures of 50°C at historic landmarks like the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Square.
The World Health Organization has warned that extreme heat is taking its toll in the Gaza Strip, where temperatures will exceed 30°C, causing dehydration and increasing the risk of disease.