Extreme heatwave in July has ‘devastating consequences’

A severe July heatwave has caused “devastating impacts” on hundreds of millions of people, making it the world’s hottest day since records began, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said.

In an assessment of last month’s temperatures released Wednesday that still leaves open the possibility of whether July was the hottest month on record (global average temperatures for 13 consecutive months through June 2024 were all record highs), the WMO warns that July’s data is not yet further evidence of how human-caused greenhouse gases are changing the climate.

And they also underscore the urgency of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call to action on the heatwave.

“Large, intense and prolonged heat waves have hit every continent in the past year. At least ten countries have recorded daytime temperatures exceeding 50°C (degrees Celsius) in more than one place. The heat is becoming unbearable,” said UN Secretary-General WMO Celeste Saulo.

The UN agency intends to respond to António Guterres’ call to action with more effective early warning systems and action plans to protect health from heat, he added.

The WMO estimates that alerts for 57 countries could save nearly 100,000 lives a year.

“Adapting to climate change is not enough. We must address the root causes and get serious about reducing record levels of greenhouse gas emissions,” Celeste Saulo said, as quoted in the statement.

As for last month, the WMO recalls that the 22nd was the hottest month on record globally, while the 23rd was practically tied.

While natural climate variability may play an important role, temperature anomalies exceeding 10°C in Antarctica are unusual, the organization stresses.