Turkey experienced 30 days of extreme heat in a year due to human-induced climate change

Amid global climatic upheavals, Turkey recorded an unprecedented 47.6 days of extreme heat in 2023, according to a report by Climate Central and World Weather Attribution (WWA).

The year 2023 marked the hottest on record globally, with consecutive months from June 2023 to April 2024 setting new global temperature highs.

The phenomenon is largely attributed to human-induced climate change, which not only increased the frequency of extreme heat days but also intensified the conditions. Across the globe, billions of people have endured temperatures that climate models suggest would be much less likely without the influence of greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, during the summer of 2023, nearly half of the global population experienced at least 30 days of extreme heat, exacerbated by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.

In Turkey, the impact is quantified by comparing the potential number of extreme heat days in a hypothetical scenario without human-induced climate change, 18.8 days, against the actual figure of 47.6 days experienced. This difference highlights the role of climate change in shaping current weather patterns.

The increased heat not only poses immediate health risks but also long-term socioeconomic challenges. Countries around the Mediterranean, including Turkey, are facing heightened vulnerabilities due to these prolonged heat conditions, which affect everything from agriculture to energy consumption patterns. (TY/VK)