Record heat levels globally have led to significant health and infrastructure strains. Research advises both public system upgrades and personal safety measures to manage the rising temperatures.
This year has seen unprecedented global heat records, causing widespread health emergencies and power challenges. Studies emphasize the dangers to vulnerable populations like the elderly and recommend systemic and individual actions to reduce heat exposure.that January through May 2024 ranked warmest on its 175-year temperature record. On June 19, 2024, the Northern Hemisphere was running 1.
“For older adults with physical health problems, temperatures as low as 26.7°C can pose significant danger. And when humidity is as high as 90 percent, even 25.6°C can be hazardous,” said Deborah Carr, a Boston University sociologist who specializes in the study of aging. “Nighttime heat is especially harmful for older adults whose homes lack air conditioning or who can’t afford to run their air conditioners for long periods.
NASA Earth Observatory video by Lauren Dauphin, using GEOS data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA GSFC.“According to the World Health Organization, heat stress is the world’s leading cause of weather-related deaths and can exacerbate underlying illnesses …”