London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Heatwaves Affect Developing Countries The Most, Worsening Inequality

Heatwaves Affect Developing Countries The Most, Worsening Inequality

According to a study, extreme heat has an unequal effect on economic growth around the world.
One of the most obvious implications of global warming is an increase in extreme heat, but it is unclear how heat waves will affect the economy. Extreme heat brought on by human-driven climate change is causing significant economic losses right now.

According to a study published in the journal Science Advances, global warming-related heat waves have already cost the economy trillions of dollars since the early 1990s, with the poorest and lowest-carbon-producing nations bearing the brunt of the economic damage.

According to the study, these unequal economic outcomes also contribute to growing inequality around the world.

"The cost of extreme heat from climate change so far has been disproportionately borne by the countries and regions least culpable for global warming," Dartmouth College professor Justin Mankin, one of the authors of the study, told AFP. "And that's an insane tragedy."

"Climate change is playing out on a landscape of economic inequality, and it is acting to amplify that inequality," he said.

However, poorer countries have lost roughly 6.7 percent of their yearly per capita GDPs, whereas the richest countries have only lost about 1.5 percent due to heat waves.

The obvious explanation for this gap is that poorer nations are frequently located closer to the tropics, where temperatures are already warmer. They heat up significantly more during heat waves.

Heat waves have been included in climate models and earlier research alongside other extreme occurrences brought on by climate change, such as more frequent flooding and more intense storms, according to first author Christopher Callahan, a doctoral candidate in geography at Dartmouth. But according to him, heat waves have a distinct character. They happen more quickly than droughts do, and as long as human activity fuels climate change, the hottest days of the year are expected to warm up far more quickly than the average global temperature.

The findings, according to the researchers, demonstrate the urgent need for legislation and technical developments that protect people during the warmest days of the year, particularly in the world's hottest and most fragile economies.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×