Study Predicts Rapid Intensification of Extreme Weather for Up to 70% of Global Population

New climate research highlights the urgent need for emissions reductions to mitigate unprecedented temperature and rainfall changes.

High greenhouse gas emissions could lead to dramatic weather changes affecting 70% of the world’s population within 20 years.
If emissions are sharply reduced, the affected population could drop to 20%, or 1.5 billion people.
The study used large climate model simulations to project rapid changes in temperature and precipitation extremes.
Regions in the tropics and subtropics are particularly vulnerable to these rapid changes.
Rapid air pollution cleanup, especially in Asia, may exacerbate extreme weather conditions due to previously masked global warming effects.