SYDNEY, July 22 (Xinhua) -- An Australian-led global study has found a sharp increase in extreme heat events over the past 30 years, underscoring the urgent need for strategies to address rising heat and humidity.
The study, involving experts from 18 institutions across Australia, the United States, Europe, and Asia, found the average annual number of heatwave days increased from 12 during 1990-2006 to 19.3 in 2007-2023, with an annual average of 15.6 days in the 33 monitored years, said researchers from Australia's Monash University.
The rise was particularly sharp in regions including Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, according to a statement released Monday from Monash University, which led the study.
Researchers used both ambient temperature and the wet-bulb globe temperature, which accounts for humidity, solar radiation and wind, for the first time to map global extreme heat more accurately.
"This matters because humidity dramatically amplifies heat stress and health risks, especially in vulnerable populations," said the study's first author Zhou Shuang from Monash University.
Published in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources in the United States, the study showed heatwaves cause both direct health effects, like heatstroke and heart illness, and indirect impacts, including mental health issues, pregnancy risks, and energy disruptions that worsen health and economic burdens.
The researchers proposed a multilevel framework for heat preparedness, spanning international cooperation, national policies, institutional coordination, community response, and individual protection. Enditem
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