{"id":11684,"date":"2026-08-28T13:37:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T06:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/student-activity.binus.ac.id\/tfi\/?p=11684"},"modified":"2026-08-31T13:38:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T06:38:06","slug":"when-the-heat-becomes-extreme-impacts-on-human-health-and-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/student-activity.binus.ac.id\/tfi\/2026\/08\/when-the-heat-becomes-extreme-impacts-on-human-health-and-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"When the Heat Becomes Extreme: Impacts on Human Health and the Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Credit: <\/span>https:\/\/www.metlink.org\/climate_change_topics\/temperature-global-warming\/<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Summers are no longer just getting warmer, they are becoming deadly. In 2025, extreme heat became the deadliest weather event on the planet, killing more people than floods, storms, and wildfires combined. Scientists from World Weather Attribution studied 157 severe weather events that year, and out of the 22 they looked at closely, heat waves caused the most deaths. Cities from Lisbon to Tokyo to New Delhi broke temperature records, turning normal summer days into serious health emergencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The numbers are alarming. Heat-related deaths have been rising rapidly, with about 210,000 more people dying each year between 2012 and 2021 than in the previous decade. Europe shows this clearly of this growing danger. A 2025 study in Nature Medicine linked more than 62,700 deaths to the 2024 heat wave in Europe. The next year was not any better. By mid-September 2025, researchers believed that around 16,500 people in Europe died because of climate-related heat, making up about 68 percent of all heat deaths that summer. At the same time, India and Pakistan faced their own deadly heat wave starting in April 2025, with temperatures reaching 48\u00b0C in Rajasthan and hundreds of people dying across the region. These figures demonstrate that extreme heat is not an isolated problem but a growing global threat,<\/span><\/p>\n

These events are closely connected to the warming of the planet. Rising heat is caused directly by greenhouse gases trapping warmth in the atmosphere, which leads to longer and stronger heat waves around the world. As temperatures continue to increase, the human body has greater difficulty maintaining a safe internal temperature. This risk is particularly concerning for vulnerable groups, including older adults, people with existing health conditions, and outdoor workers who may be exposed to high temperatures for extended periods. Understanding this connection between climate change and extreme heat is essential because the consequences extend beyond rising temperature themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Credit: <\/span>https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/12-06-2025-who-s–beat-the-heat–initiative-making-strides-to-protect-workers-and-event-participants-from-extreme-heat-and-related-environmental-hazards<\/span><\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

The danger of extreme heat is not always immediately visible. Unlike floods or hurricanes, heat waves rarely leave behind dramatic physical destruction. Instead, their effects often develop gradually as prolonged exposure places increasidng stress on the human body. People may experience dehydration, heat exhaustion, and other serious health problems, while prolonged exposure can worsen existing medical conditions. Older adults, people with existing health conditions, and outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable because their bodies may have struggled to cope with prolonged periods of high temperatures. For this reason, extreme heat should be viewed as an important public health concern rather than simply an uncomfortable weather condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem can become even more serious in cities because of the urban heat island effect.. Concrete, roads, and buildings absorb and retain heat, causing urban areas to become significantly warmer than their surrounding environments. The problem can be particularly dangerous at night, when temperatures are expected to decrease but buildings and roads continue releasing stored heat. For people living in poorly ventilated homes or communities with limited access to cooling systems and clean water, there may be little opportunity to escape the heat. As a result, the effects of extreme temperatures can be especially severe in densely populated urban areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Extreme heat also places significant pressure on the reduce water availability for people, agriculture, and ecosystems. Dry conditions can make forests and grasslands more vulnerable to wildfires, which can destroy habitats and release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Agriculture faces similar challenges because crops and livestock may struggle to survive when extreme temperature and water shortages persist. These environmental effects can create further problems for human communities by threatening food production, water security, and livelihoods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taken together, these impacts show that extreme heat is more than a weather problem. It can affect public health, food security, workers, and the economy at the same time. Although extreme heat is becoming more frequent and severe, its impact can still be reduced through effective preparation and long-term climate action. Governments and communities can protect people by improving early-warning, providing cooling centers, expanding green spaces, improving access to clean water, and creating safer working conditions, especially for outdoor workers. However, reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains essential to limit further global warming and preventing extreme heat from becoming even more frequent and severe. Ultimately protecting people from extreme heat requires both immediate action and long term commitment. Extreme heat is not simply a\u00a0 problem for the future, it is a growing reality that requires action today to create a safer and more sustainable future for both people and the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

References :<\/b><\/p>\n