Humanity must confront the “epidemic of extreme heat”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said today, calling for take concrete measures to save lives.
According to the European Copernicus network, July 21, 22 and 23 were the three hottest days ever recorded globally, with July 22 holding the all-time record with an average temperature of 17.16°C, according to updated data.
“But let’s face reality: Extreme temperatures are no longer a one-day, one-week or one-month phenomenon. If there is one thing that unites our divided world, it is that we are getting hotter and hotter,” said António Guterres as he launched his “call for action against extreme heat”.
“Billions of people are facing an epidemic of extreme heat, baked by increasingly deadly heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius,” he added, recalling in particular the deaths of more than 1,000 pilgrims during the great Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in June.
Therefore, “the world must face the challenge of rising temperatures.”
Although 2023 was the hottest year on record and 2024 could set a new record, temperatures well above 40°C are becoming more common.
In the space of a year, the 50°C mark has already been surpassed in at least 10 places, from Death Valley in the United States (53.9°C on July 7, 2024) to Agadir in Morocco, China and India.
And this intense heat, which is often less visible than other devastating effects of climate change, such as storms or floods, is nevertheless more deadly.
This “invisible killer” is therefore responsible for nearly 489,000 annual deaths between 2000 and 2019, compared to 16,000 annual deaths from cyclones, according to the “call to action” presented by Guterres.
“Freezing temperatures that also have financial implications”
According to a report by the International Labour Organization released today, more than 70% of workers were exposed to extreme heat in 2020, 8.8% more than in 2000.
And worker productivity has been reduced by the heat (by 50% up to 34°C), the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs being lost by 2030, according to the UN.
But “the good news is that we can save lives and limit the impact,” Guterres insisted.
The UN chief calls in particular for the protection of the “most vulnerable”, children, the elderly, but also the poorest and residents of urban centres who are even more rooted in concrete.
In this context, early warning systems should include extreme heat, alerting populations to the onset of heat waves and informing them about the precautions to take.
And air conditioning systems, which are often beyond the reach of the poorest, need to be overhauled.
If current trends continue, refrigeration and air conditioning equipment will almost triple by 2050.
The Secretary-General therefore recommends investing in a “triple strategy”, including passive cooling (using nature, architectural design, smart buildings instead of traditional air conditioning), improving the energy efficiency of buildings and refrigeration installations, and abandoning refrigerant gases that contribute to global warming).
He also calls for better protection of workers in all sectors and regions, in line with a human rights-based approach. He therefore defends the right to leave work if temperatures are too dangerous.
And “let’s not forget that there are many other devastating symptoms of the climate crisis: stronger hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels, and the list goes on.”
“To combat these symptoms, we must combat the disease,” said Guterres, who continued to call for more action to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“The disease is the madness of setting fire to our only home. The insanity is fossil fuel addiction. The disease is climate inaction.”
“Governments must therefore act immediately,” he stressed.
Sources: AMPE, AFP