For many, the past few months have felt anything but normal.

Spain, the U.K., Japan and South Korea all experienced their hottest summers on record. Scorching conditions fueled massive wildfires in southern Europe. Parts of the U.S. were so hot in June that power grids failed and roads buckled.

Most devastating was the human toll.

In Europe alone, back-to-back heat waves claimed over 24,000 lives from June to August — 3 times as many as would have been lost without human-caused climate change.

It’s a problem that’s getting worse.

WRI research projects that cities worldwide will see longer, more frequent and more dangerous heatwaves if temperature rise continues unchecked.

But power outages, service shutdowns and lost lives are not a foregone conclusion. As temperatures climb, cities around the globe are finding ways to beat the heat and keep residents safe.

Learn more from WRI experts who are helping to unpack the effects of extreme heat, model future risks and highlight real solutions.

Extreme heat is no longer a short-term or seasonal threat. It’s a growing daily pressure that’s already reshaping how we live, work and travel.

The difference between 1.5 degrees C (an internationally agreed-upon warming limit) and 3 degrees C (what we’re on track for) might sound small. In reality, the two are a world apart.

Europe has less access to air conditioning than almost any other region, and its heat-related death toll is rising. But is more A/C, which drives emissions and perpetuates global warming, the answer?

Because of their concrete and density, cities absorb and trap heat, driving temperatures up. But simple design decisions, like painting roofs and planting trees, can cool them down dramatically.

Find more data and real-world success stories on WRI Insights.