Climate change intensified risky heat for 1.5 billion, India saw 117 million affected

Human-induced climate change made at least a month of risky heat significantly more likely for over 1.5 billion people between June and August 2026, according to Climate Central analysis. India accounted for 117 million people exposed to at least 30 such days.

Europe was the most unusually hot region, with nearly nine in 10 people experiencing a month of risky heat. France and the Holy See recorded temperatures averaging 3.5 degrees Celsius above historical norms. Prolonged heat contributed to wildfires, drought, and pressure on health services.

“Risky heat days” were defined as hotter than 90 percent of historical local temperatures between 1991 and 2020. Across 203 countries, the average person experienced at least 30 days with a strong climate change influence. Asia had the largest number of people exposed, with 2.8 billion experiencing at least 30 days of risky heat.

Source: Down To Earth

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“`json { “headline”:”Ecological degradation and urban waste drive human-macaque conflict in India”, “excerpt”:”Escalating human-monkey conflicts in India are linked to degraded forests and unmanaged urban waste, drawing rhesus macaques to cities for food and creating dependency.”, “category”:”Biodiversity”, “article”:”Human-monkey conflicts in India are intensifying due to ecological degradation and urban waste mismanagement, leading rhesus macaques into human settlements for food.\n\nDegraded forests offer less natural food, while urban areas provide easily accessible food from open garbage and religious offerings, creating a cycle of dependency. Common responses like translocation are often ineffective, merely shifting the problem. Public feeding, often driven by religious beliefs, further alters natural behavior.\n\nEffective solutions require habitat restoration, including removing invasive species and protecting native plants, alongside community involvement in managing forest pressures. Urban waste management is also identified as a critical wildlife management tool, with secured containers and reliable collection systems needed to deter macaques.\n\nCoordination among various agencies is crucial, as fragmentation in responsibility has hindered problem-solving. Establishing dedicated conflict centers with clear protocols and defined authorities for capture, rescue, waste management, and monitoring is proposed to create a coordinated response.” } “`