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Record High
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EDITOR’S NOTE
As carbon emissions rise, communities across the globe are dealing with increasingly severe and frequent bouts of extreme temperatures. Scientists have observed an eightfold increase in record-breaking hot months over the past decade, and at any given time, extreme heat is now affecting about one-tenth of the Earth’s land area. Some 8 million Americans were exposed to “extreme danger” temperatures last year alone, defined by the National Weather Service as a heat index of more than 125 degrees Fahrenheit. By 2053, that number is expected to rise to 107 million.
These scorching temperatures are impacting public health, drought, agriculture, infrastructure, equity, ecosystems, and much more. But there are also innovative solutions, policies, and technologies being tested to adapt to this hotter future. Follow Grist as it delves into all aspects of extreme heat — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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Extreme Heat Newsletter
All stories
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Extreme heat is here. Can insurance help protect us?
Heat insurance products are popping up around the world to protect outdoor workers and heat stroke victims.
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31 days at 110 degrees: Record heat tests Phoenix’s limits
"Even if you're born and raised here, and you're used to dealing with the heat, it's still very hot and very dangerous."
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Why FEMA doesn’t respond to heat waves
The federal government doesn't treat extreme heat the way it treats hurricanes and wildfires.
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As heat strikes, so do workers
A growing number of people who have no choice but to work in the heat are demanding greater protection.
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July has been the hottest month in humanity’s history
The heat has claimed lives from Arizona to Greece to China.
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Report: 41 million Americans are simmering on urban heat islands
New research says reducing paved surfaces and increasing green space could cool cities down.
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Why extreme heat is so deadly for workers
A combination of high temperatures and high humidity is making it increasingly unsafe for those who work outdoors.
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A hotter, sicker world
El Niño, combined with climate change, will lead to a spike in mosquito-borne illnesses, tick-borne illnesses, and bacterial disease.
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Heat storms turn Southern Europe into ‘giant pizza oven’
Millions brace for more record-setting heat as temperatures climb further into the triple digits.
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340,000 UPS drivers poised to strike over extreme heat, safe working conditions
The largest single-employer strike in U.S. history could frame worker power as a climate solution.