More Than 600 Million People Facing Severe ‘Cooling Poverty’, Study Finds

InnovationSustainabilityMore Than 600 Million People Facing Severe ‘Cooling Poverty’, Study FindsByJamie Hailstone,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Jamie Hailstone is a U.K-based reporter, who covers sustainability. Follow AuthorMay 29, 2026, 05:26am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.TOPSHOT - Vehicles drive past a sign on the 110 Freeway warning of extreme heat and urging energy conservation during a heat wave in downtown Los Angeles, California on September 2, 2022. - A "dangerous" heat wave has taken hold of the southwestern US. Forecasters said the mercury could reach as high as 112 Fahrenheit (44 Celsius) in the densely populated Los Angeles suburbs as a heat dome settles in over parts of California, Nevada and Arizona. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesNearly 600 million people are living in conditions, which make them severely vulnerable to extreme heat, according to a new analysis. The report by the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) highlights the growing problem of “systemic cooling poverty”, describes situations in which people cannot stay thermally safe because of various overlapping factors.According to the study, almost 600 million people live with severe systemic cooling poverty across multiple dimensions.The researchers found education and working standards were the main drivers of this form of poverty, followed by climate exposure, infrastructure and health.The study also highlights how heat risk is not determined by climate or income alone. For example, it says some hot countries - notably Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan - have relatively low system cooling poverty values because, they perform better with infrastructure, access to services and policy frameworks.In contrast, countries like Ethiopia and the Democratic Republi...