Data from the IEA and OECD Climate Hazard Exposure Tracker shows how rising temperatures are affecting more and more people.
On average, between 1979 and 1983, 57% of the world’s population experienced extreme heat, defined as days when maximum temperatures exceed 35°C. In comparison, between 2018 and 2022, 71% of the world’s population – about 5.7 billion people – experienced extreme heat.
The IEA and OECD data for 2022 provides a breakdown of the duration of this exposure. About 25.6% of the world’s population experienced extreme heat for more than 8 weeks per year, 5% for 6 to 8 weeks, 6.8% for 4 to 6 weeks, 9.5% for 2 to 4 weeks, and 24.9% for less than 2 weeks.
Read more:
- Climate Hazard Exposure Tracker, IEA and the OECD