In recent years, relentless heatwaves have swept across the globe, with 2014–2024 constituting the Earth’s hottest decade and global temperature records being consecutively broken in 2023 and 2024 (ref. 1). In 2025, our planet has continued to endure an unprecedented ‘scorching assault.’ Prolonged heatwaves have ravaged regions worldwide, including Western Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, resulting in temperatures soaring far above historical averages and shattering previous intensity, duration and spatial benchmarks.
Public and government response was visible: within the first week of release, the warnings amassed over 1.8 billion views, with one notably reaching third place on Weibo’s real-time trending list (one of China’s most influential social platforms). In response, many cities implemented practical measures, including opening public cooling centers, adjusting work and school schedules, and setting up dedicated emergency channels for heatstroke treatment. Public awareness campaigns focused on vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, outdoor workers and individuals with chronic diseases, to promote heat-health protection.
— Source: Nature Medicine (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04240-w)
