One-fifth population globally face influence of climate change: Report

Mumbai: At least one in five people globally felt a strong climate change influence every day from December 2024 to February 2025, according to a new report.

The new analysis reveals that human-induced climate change — driven primarily by the burning of coal, oil, and methane gas — raised temperatures and increased extreme heat across the globe over the past three months.

In half of the 220 countries analysed, the average person experienced temperatures strongly influenced by climate change for at least a month (30 days or more), according to the report by Climate Central, 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.

In 287 cities worldwide, residents felt the influence of climate change on temperatures for at least a month (30 days or more).

Nearly 394 million people were exposed to 30 or more days of risky heat added by climate change, 74 per cent of whom live in Africa. Risky heat days are defined as days with temperatures hotter than 90 per cent of local temperatures recorded from 1991 to 2020.

“Climate change is not a distant threat but a present reality to millions,” said Kristina Dahl, VP of Science at Climate Central.

“The increasing frequency and severity of heat events around the world reveal a dangerous pattern of heat exposure that will only worsen if the burning of fossil fuel continues,” Dahl said in a press statement.