Asia is experiencing a severe heatwave, with April 2024 being the hottest on record. The Philippines, among other countries, has closed schools and issued health warnings. The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that global temperatures have been breaking records for 11 consecutive months, with April being 1.58°C warmer than pre-industrial levels. The extreme heat has led to numerous deaths, school closures, and significant environmental impacts across the region.
This event is significant as it highlights the immediate and severe impacts of climate change on a densely populated region. The extreme heat is disrupting daily life, causing health crises, and affecting the economy by forcing school closures and reducing productivity. The ongoing record-breaking temperatures underscore the urgency of addressing climate change and its effects on vulnerable populations. The situation in Asia serves as a stark reminder of the global climate crisis and the need for international cooperation and swift action to mitigate its impacts.
The current heatwave in Asia is part of a broader trend of increasing global temperatures driven by human-induced climate change. The burning of fossil fuels has led to higher concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trapping more heat and causing global temperatures to rise. This has resulted in more frequent and intense heatwaves, as well as other extreme weather events. The Copernicus Climate Change Service has been tracking these changes, noting that each month since June 2023 has set new temperature records. The ongoing El Nino phenomenon has also contributed to the warmer conditions, although its influence is waning.
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The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands that are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the second-most populous country, the seventh-largest country by land area, and the most populous democracy in the world.
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Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital of the Philippines and a highly urbanized city. It is the most densely populated city proper in the world as of 2019.
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Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 162 million people.
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a country in Southeast Asia. Located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, it is composed of 76 provinces, and covers an area of 513,120 square kilometres, and a population
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El Niño–Southern Oscillation is an irregular periodic variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, affecting the climate of much of the tropics and subtropics.
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The Copernicus Climate Change Service is one of the six thematic services provided by the European Union's Copernicus Programme.
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Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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Metropolitan Manila, officially the National Capital Region, is the seat of government and one of three defined metropolitan areas in the Philippines.
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Dhaka, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and the largest city of Bangladesh. It is the ninth-largest, and the sixth-most densely populated city in the world, with a population of 8.9 million residents within the city limits, and a population of over
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia and the easternmost country on the Indochinese Peninsula. With an estimated 96.2 million inhabitants as of 2019, it is the 15th most populous country in the world. Vietn
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Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Af
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At 8.5 million square kilometers and with over 211 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most