The United Nations has launched a Call to Action on Extreme Heat, warning that rising temperatures are posing an increasing threat to socio-economic and environmental well-being. The initiative comes as the world experiences record-breaking heat, with the three warmest days ever recorded in recent history occurring in the past week.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the daily global average temperature reached a new record high of 17.16°C on July 22, 2024, surpassing the previous record set just last year.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “Earth is becoming hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere,” with billions of people facing an extreme heat epidemic. He emphasized the need for concerted international cooperation to address extreme heat in four critical areas: caring for the vulnerable, protecting workers, boosting resilience, and limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C.
The Call to Action brings together the expertise of ten specialized UN entities, including the WMO, and has received support from national and local governments and businesses worldwide.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the urgent need to address the root cause of extreme heat, saying, “Our Earth is running an unprecedentedly high fever… We need to tackle the root cause and urgently reduce greenhouse gas levels.”
The initiative stresses the need for heat early warning systems, strengthening capacities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, and targeted economic and social policies to minimize impacts.
With heat-related deaths estimated to be around 489,000 per year, the need for action is urgent. However, the Call to Action notes that heat illness and deaths are preventable, and many impacts can be minimized with concrete actions.
