World Meteorological Organization: Extreme Heat in July Affected Hundreds of Millions of People Globally

The World Meteorological Organization released a news communique on August 7th, stating that the extreme heat in July affected hundreds of millions of people worldwide, triggering chain reactions in human society.

According to data cited by the World Meteorological Organization, among Asian countries, Japan's average temperature in July was the highest since records began in 1898, breaking the record set last year. The hot weather in Japan is expected to continue in August. India also experienced the second hottest July on record.

The data also shows that many areas in the Mediterranean and the Balkan Peninsula were also continuously hit by heatwaves in July, causing casualties and affecting public health. Countries such as Greece, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria all experienced their hottest Julys on record. In addition, on August 1 alone, about 165 million people in the United States were under heat alerts.

The secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, Celeste Saulo, said that in the past year, widespread, intense, and persistent heatwaves have swept across every continent, and at least 10 countries have experienced single-day temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in more than one location.

Saulo said that merely adapting to climate change is not enough. Humanity needs to fundamentally address the issue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.