Türkiye spent the summer of 2026 in the shadow of not only hot but also unusual temperatures that could directly affect human health. A new study by the US-based independent climate research organization Climate Central, covering the months of June, July and August, revealed to what extent human-induced climate change has increased the number of hot days. According to the research, the average person in Türkiye faces 32 additional risky hot days that would not occur without climate change. It was calculated that 54.3 million people in Türkiye were exposed to risky temperatures for more than 30 days during the summer. Climate Central uses the concept of “risky hot day” for days that are warmer than 90 percent of temperatures measured in a region between 1991 and 2020. In other words The study evaluates Istanbul and Adana not according to the same temperature value, but according to each city’s own past climate conditions. It is accepted that heat-related health risks begin to increase when this local threshold is exceeded.
ADANA 40, ISTANBUL 37 DAYS
The picture within Türkiye is striking. The province with the highest number of risky hot days added by climate change was Adana with 40 days. Adana was followed by Gaziantep with 39 days, Istanbul with 37 days, Bursa with 34 days and Izmir with 33 days. Thus, during the approximately three-month meteorological summer period, an additional heat load resulting from climate change was placed on almost one out of every three days for those living in Istanbul.
1.5 BILLION PEOPLE
The picture in Türkiye is only a part of the great heat wave experienced on a global scale. According to Climate Central’s analysis During June-August 2026, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide were exposed to at least 30 days of risky heat added by human-caused climate change. On any given day during the quarter, at least a quarter of the world’s population experienced the strong impact of climate change on temperatures.
89 PERCENT OF EUROPE WERE AFFECTED
One of the most striking paintings emerged in Europe. Approximately 89 percent of the continent’s population was exposed to risky temperature conditions for at least a month during the summer. The fact that seven of the top 10 warmest countries in the world are in Europe reveals the extraordinary extent of temperatures on the continent. The hottest June-August period recorded since 1970 was experienced in 54 countries, including France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Geography Department Lecturer Assoc. Dr. Doğukan Doğu Yavaşlı is He said that the 32-day additional heat load calculated for Türkiye should be read carefully. According to Yavaşlı, since the threshold used is already determined according to the 1991-2020 period, when the world warmed significantly, the 32-day figure is a cautious indicator of the change actually experienced. Yavaşlı also pointed out that the approximately 25-kilometer data cells used in the analysis may be insufficient to reveal the temperature differences within the cities themselves.
