A new study warns that by the 2090s, nearly one-third of the global population—around 2.6 billion people—could experience significantly increased occurrences of simultaneous heatwaves and droughts. Researchers from Germany and China found that the risk of these “compound hot-dry extremes” could rise 2.4 times, lasting almost three times longer than current events. The impacts include elevated heat-related deaths, increased wildfires, agricultural losses, and socio-economic instability, particularly in low-income countries that have contributed least to climate change.
Current emissions trajectories suggest a 2.7 °C temperature rise by 2100, worsening these extremes. However, adhering to the 2015 Paris Agreement and enhancing emissions reduction commitments could significantly mitigate the problem, potentially decreasing the affected population from 28% to 18%. The study emphasizes the urgent need for equitable climate action to protect vulnerable populations and illustrates how individual choices can influence future outcomes.
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