Boiling Temperatures Turn Increasingly Deadly

Heatwaves have now transformed into one of the deadliest extreme weather threats to global public health. The increased frequency, longer duration and expanding affected areas have placed immense pressure on health services, worker productivity and energy security in various parts of the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has explicitly identified extreme heat as a highly dangerous environmental and occupational health threat. According to data released through the official website of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Monday (10/8/2026), heat stress is now the leading cause of weather-related deaths.

A WHO study for the period 2000–2019 shows an alarming fatality rate resulting from exposure to extreme temperatures. This impact not only targets the health sector but also spills over into food stability and national energy systems.

WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge, stated that the European region is warming twice as fast as the global average. This condition has triggered a surge in the workload of ambulance services and emergency rooms, which are overcrowded with patients affected by high temperatures.

A similar threat is now sweeping across Asia with record-breaking intensity. In early August 2026, Seoul, South Korea, recorded an extreme temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. The local government was forced to deploy additional resources to protect vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and outdoor workers.

In China, the city of Dalian, which is usually a destination for escaping hot weather, recorded a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. This figure is nearly 10 degrees above the historical average for the region. The temperature spike has had a direct impact on the electricity system due to the public’s heavy reliance on air conditioning, which risks triggering an energy crisis when peak loads occur simultaneously.

The WMO reported an increased risk of hydrometeorological disasters in Asia throughout 2025, ranging from flash floods in China to the impact of Cyclone Senyar in Indonesia.

The WMO report predicts that global temperatures will remain high until 2030. The El Niño phenomenon in 2027 could potentially create new heat records and extreme weather.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned of an 80% chance of El Niño emerging between June and August, triggering extreme heat and disruptions to global rainfall patterns.

The WMO has warned that there is an 86% chance the record for the hottest year will be broken before 2031 due to greenhouse gas emissions and the El Niño phenomenon.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimates that the global average temperature will remain near its highest level over the next five years.

The WMO reported that global CO2 levels reached a record high in 2024. This surge in emissions is accelerating global warming and threatening the world’s climate balance.