Bengaluru (India), 23 Sept. (LaPresse) – This year’s powerful El Niño phenomenon and record-breaking global heat could cause nearly half a million additional deaths worldwide by the end of February. This is according to the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab, which states that between June and the end of February, there could be up to 451,000 additional heat-related deaths attributable to El Niño, compared with the number of heat-related deaths expected in a typical year. The projected deaths relate to the entire El Niño period, from June 2026 until the end of February 2027. The Climate Impact Lab added that global land surface temperatures during this El Niño could be around 1.2 degrees Celsius higher, resulting in 44 per cent more days of extreme heat than in a typical year. The report indicated that such temperature rises could reflect conditions that climate change might make commonplace in around 20 years’ time. Michael Greenstone, co-founder of the group and co-author of the study, said that the heat-related risk is likely to persist beyond February, even though this El Niño is expected to end before then. The effects of this weather phenomenon could be felt until next summer, he added. The study combined seasonal temperature forecasts with localised estimates of how high temperatures affect mortality in over 24,000 regions worldwide.
Heatwave: El Niño could lead to 500,000 additional deaths this year
Bengaluru (India), 23 Sept. (LaPresse) – This year’s powerful El Niño phenomenon and record-breaking global heat could cause nearly half a million additional deaths worldwide by the end of February. This is according to the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab, which states that between June and the end of February, there could be up to 451,000 additional heat-related deaths attributable to El Niño, compared with the number of heat-related deaths expected in a typical year. The projected deaths relate to the entire El Niño period, from June 2026 until the end of February 2027. The Climate Impact Lab added that global land surface temperatures during this El Niño could be around 1.2 degrees Celsius higher, resulting in 44 per cent more days of extreme heat than in a typical year. The report indicated that such temperature rises could reflect conditions that climate change might make commonplace in around 20 years’ time. Michael Greenstone, co-founder of the group and co-author of the study, said that the heat-related risk is likely to persist beyond February, even though this El Niño is expected to end before then. The effects of this weather phenomenon could be felt until next summer, he added. The study combined seasonal temperature forecasts with localised estimates of how high temperatures affect mortality in over 24,000 regions worldwide.