More than 80% of humanity exposed to climate change-attributed heat in July 2023: Report

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Aug 02, 2023, 08:14 ET

Rapid attribution analysis calculates the influence of carbon pollution on daily temperatures worldwide and in 4,700 cities and 200 countries, showing at least 2 billion people experienced heat altered by climate change during every day of July

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 6.5 billion people, or 81% of Earth's population, were exposed during July 2023 to at least one day of heat made at least 3x more likely by climate change, according to a new report and analysis by Climate Central. And during each day of the month, 2 billion people worldwide experienced at least that level of climate change influence on their local temperatures.

During July, more than 80% of Earth's population experienced heat made at least three times more likely by carbon pollution.

The analysis calculated climate change attribution assessments for 4,700 cities and 200 countries, finding that residents in 15 major cities (population above 6 million) were exposed to average monthly temperatures made at least 3x more likely by climate change: Mexico City, Mexico; Cairo, Egypt; Kolkata, India; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Lagos, Nigeria; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Bogotá, Colombia; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Hong Kong, China; Zhanjiang, China; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Quanzhou, China; Miami, USA; Maoming, China; and Khartoum, Sudan.

"Human-caused climate change influenced July temperatures for the vast majority of humanity," Dr. Andrew Pershing, vice president for science at Climate Central said. "Across the entire planet, the average person was exposed to 11 days in which carbon pollution made the local temperature at least three times more likely. Virtually no place on Earth escaped the influence of climate change last month."

The influence of climate change for this analysis was assessed using the Climate Shift Index, which applies a peer-reviewed model- and observation-driven methodology to determine the likelihood of local, daily temperatures with and without current levels of carbon pollution. The change in likelihood is scored on a five-point scale, with 1 (at least 1.5 times more likely) through 5 (at least 5 times more likely) representing temperatures made more common by climate change.

U.S. cities in which at least 1 million residents were exposed to average monthly temperatures scored 3 or higher on the Climate Shift Index included: Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Tampa, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; San Antonio, Texas; Austin, Texas; and Salt Lake City, Utah.

A summary of the analysis, with links to the report, source data, and localized graphics from Climate Central's Climate Matters program is available at: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/climate-shift-index-global-july-2023

About Climate Central
Climate Central is a non-advocacy, non-profit science and news organization providing authoritative information to help the public and policymakers make sound decisions about climate and energy.

SOURCE Climate Central