MELBOURNE, Australia– Nearly 100,000 deaths during last year’s extreme heatwaves were linked to human-induced climate change, according to a new international study led by researchers from Australia’s Monash University.
The study, released Tuesday, found that the record-breaking heat of 2023 caused an estimated 178,486 excess deaths worldwide — about 23 deaths per million people — with more than half attributed to human-caused global warming.
Researchers analyzed climate and mortality data from 2,013 locations across 67 countries and regions. They concluded that roughly 54 percent of those deaths, or nearly 97,000 fatalities, were the direct result of manmade climate change.
The 2023 heatwaves struck during the hottest year ever recorded, when global temperatures averaged 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Southern Europe suffered the highest death rate from heatwaves at 120 per million, followed by Eastern and Western Europe, according to the study conducted with international partners.
Most of the deaths occurred in the subtropical and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, where prolonged heat worsened cardiovascular, respiratory, and other chronic illnesses.
The researchers warned that the findings underscore “the urgent need for adaptive public health interventions and climate mitigation strategies to reduce future mortality burdens in the context of increasing global warming.”
A separate Australian government report released on September 15 echoed similar concerns, warning that millions of homes could be at risk from rising sea levels and that heat-related deaths could more than double if global warming exceeds 3 degrees Celsius.
Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment, published by the Australian Climate Service, estimated that 1.5 million coastal homes could face inundation by 2050 if temperatures climb more than 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels. That number could surpass 3 million by 2090.
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns. While natural factors such as volcanic activity and solar cycles can contribute, scientists say the primary cause since the 1800s has been human activity — particularly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. These activities release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, trapping heat in the atmosphere and raising the planet’s temperature. (Source: IANS)
