This summer in Türkiye is recorded as the hottest since 1970, with 76 million people exposed to at least 30 days of extreme heat, which is considered potentially risky for human health due to climate change.
International research organization Climate Central has analyzed the impact of climate change on extreme heat and the affected population in Türkiye this summer through its Climate Change Index (CSI) of daily local temperature systems.
The CSI measures how climate change from fossil fuel use alters daily temperature values, with a central value of zero indicating no detectable impact of human-induced climate change on temperature.
Positive CSI levels (1-5) indicate detectable impacts of climate change on temperatures; a CSI level of 1 shows a 1.5 times higher likelihood of temperatures being above normal due to climate change, while levels 2 and above indicate a 2 to 3 times greater likelihood.
According to an analysis shared with Anadolu Agency (AA) by Climate Central, 76 million people (88% of the population) in Türkiye experienced at least 30 days of extreme heat, which became three times more likely (CSI level 3) due to climate change and is considered a health risk for human life during the June-August period.
Cities most affected by high temperatures due to climate change include Mersin, Adana, Denizli, Diyarbakır and Izmir.
During this period, Mersin experienced CSI level 3 and above temperatures for 90 days, Adana for 82 days, Denizli for 75 days, Diyarbakır for 71 days and Izmir for 53 days.
In Istanbul, the extreme heat lasted for 47 days, 46 days in Bursa, 44 days in Konya and Balıkesir, 41 days in Ankara, 31 days in Samsun and 17 days in Kayseri.
Türkiye’s hottest summer since 1970
According to the analysis, Türkiye has experienced the hottest June-August period since at least 1970, largely due to climate change.
Average temperatures were 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than normal during this period. Records show that the likelihood of above-normal temperatures in Türkiye during these three months increased at least three times due to climate change.
During June-August, 2 billion people worldwide were exposed to at least 30 days of high temperatures caused by climate change, threatening human health. This means one in four people globally experienced the effects of extreme heat.
On the hottest recorded day globally, July 22, 3.6 billion people (45% of the global population) were exposed to CSI level 3 and above temperatures, while on Aug. 13, when global temperatures peaked, 4.1 billion people faced extreme heat.
During this period, 72 countries recorded the hottest summer since 1970 due to the impact of climate change. These countries include Greece, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Moldova, South Korea, Qatar, Iran, Hungary, Egypt, Cameroon and Croatia, representing every region of the world.
