Boiling Temperatures Turn Increasingly Deadly

Heatwaves have now transformed into one of the most deadly extreme weather threats to global public health. The increasing frequency, longer duration, and expanding geographical reach of these events are placing severe pressure on health services, worker productivity, and energy security across the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) firmly identifies extreme heat as a dangerous environmental and occupational health threat. According to data released on the official website of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Monday (10/8/2026), heat stress is now a leading cause of weather-related deaths. A WHO study for the period 2000-2019 shows a worrying fatality rate due to exposure to extreme temperatures. This impact not only targets the health sector but also spills over into national food stability and 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 for ambulance services and packed emergency rooms with patients affected by the heat. A similar threat is now hitting 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, usually a destination to escape the heat, recorded a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, nearly 10 degrees above its historical average. This temperature spike has impacted the electricity system due to high public reliance on air conditioning, risking an energy crisis when peak loads occur simultaneously.