Study predicts increasing prevalence of crippling heatwaves in the years ahead.

Rising risk of severe heatwaves: Study warns that heatwaves with high excess mortality could become frequent occurrences in the coming years, drawing parallels to the devastating 2003 heatwave. The research, led by Samuel Luthi from the Institute for Environmental Decisions at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, suggests that what was once seen as a rare “once-in-a-century event” could now repeat every 10 to 20 years, or even every two to five years in warmer climates. The study, which collected data from 748 cities across the globe, highlights the escalating danger of heat-related deaths, particularly in regions like the Gulf coast, Latin America, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Inaction on climate change could push global temperatures even higher than the predicted 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius, making the situation even more urgent.