Global warming blamed for 1 in 3 heat-related deaths

Researchers found that it is not the increase in average summer temperature that boosted death rates, but heatwaves: how long they last, night-time temperatures and humidity levels. Photo: AFP

More than a third of summer heat-related fatalities are due to climate change, researchers said recently, warning of even higher death tolls as global temperatures climb.

Previous research on how climate change affects human health has mostly projected future risks from heatwaves, droughts, wild fires and other extreme events made worse by global warming.