Versions :<123456789Live
Snapshot 9:Wed, Jan 7, 2026 2:37:30 AM GMT last edited by KateHennig

Extreme Heatwave Grips Australia, Temps to Hit 47°C

Extreme Heatwave Grips Australia, Temps to Hit 47°C

Do climate policies cause more harm than warming, or are we facing a deadly heat crisis that demands immediate action?
Extreme Heatwave Grips Australia, Temps to Hit 47°C
Above: People seen walking with a dog during sunrise at Altona Beach, with Australia expected to face a severe heatwave. Image credit: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

The Spin

Extreme heat seasons that occurred once per century now happen every few years, with mortality rates doubling or tripling in major cities worldwide. Heat-related deaths already exceed 70,000 annually in Europe alone and continue rising as temperatures shatter records. Without immediate action, entire regions face uninhabitable summers while vulnerable populations suffer disproportionately.

Climate policies inflict far more damage than any warming itself, driving up electricity costs and scarring landscapes with industrial wind farms. The real killer isn't heat but cold — studies show cold temperatures cause 61% of weather-related deaths in Australia, dwarfing heat's 11% contribution. Fear-mongering about warming distracts from these facts while politicians push harmful energy transformations.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 50% chance that Australia's net greenhouse gas emissions will be at least 136 Mt CO2-e in 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


The Controversies



Go Deeper


Articles on this story



© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0