UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recently highlighted a severe global crisis as temperatures set new records for three consecutive days. He has called for urgent international action to address the escalating impact of extreme heatwaves, which he describes as an “extreme heat epidemic.” Guterres warns that billions are suffering under dangerously high temperatures, with impacts on health, inequality, and economies.
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- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of an “extreme heat epidemic” affecting billions worldwide.
- Recent data shows that the past three days have been the hottest on record, with global temperatures reaching unprecedented levels.
- Extreme heat is estimated to cause nearly 500,000 deaths annually, significantly more than tropical cyclones.
- Heatwaves exacerbate inequality, food insecurity, and poverty.
- Guterres calls for action in four key areas: protecting the vulnerable, enhancing worker safety, building resilience in economies and societies, and fighting climate change.
- To protect the vulnerable, he advocates for increased access to low-carbon cooling solutions and improved efficiency of cooling technologies.
- A report by the International Labour Organisation indicates that over 70% of the global workforce, or 2.4 billion people, are at high risk from extreme heat.
- In the Asia-Pacific region, three out of four workers face extreme heat conditions, affecting productivity and costing the global economy $2.4 trillion by 2030.
- Guterres stresses the need for comprehensive Heat Action Plans and tailored strategies for heatproofing economies and critical sectors.
- He urges all countries to enhance their climate action plans to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to phase out fossil fuels rapidly, with a target of reducing their consumption and production by 30% by 2030.
