People around the world have contended with unprecedented weather events and their fatal effects caused by the climate catastrophe
After the world’s hottest summer since records began in 1850, the death toll from extreme weather in 2026 is already in the high tens of thousands. That is a conservative estimate and is certain to rise much higher.
As Cop31 continues and scientists warn that climate breakdown may be accelerating, the Guardian looks back at a year of droughts, fires and floods as a reminder that, unless the world takes urgent action to cut emissions, this disastrous year will be one of the best of the rest of our lives.
Extreme heat fuels wildfires in Australia As temperatures jump nearly 20C (68F) above average, Victoria and other southern states register new heat records, including 50C in Port Augusta and the tiny opal mining town of Andamooka. Melbourne hospitals report a 25% increase in heat-related illnesses, while authorities in many areas struggle with wildfires. Scientists say the supercharged climate has made the heatwave five times more likely. Heatwaves already cause more deaths in Australia than all other natural hazards combined.
Mudslides kill 72 in Brazil after record rain The city of Juiz de Fora in Minas Gerais records its wettest ever month, triggering landslides that sweep away hundreds of homes in poor…
