A new study published in Nature Communications has raised alarms over the increasing frequency of rapid temperature shifts abrupt swings between extreme heat and cold across the globe with low-income countries expected to bear the brunt of the consequences.
The research, jointly led by scientists from Sun Yat-sen University (China) and Princeton University (USA) found that over the past six decades, more than 60% of the world’s regions have experienced a significant uptick in these extreme temperature “flips.” The most affected zones include South America, Western Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia.
If current high emission trends continue these fluctuations are projected to become even more intense and frequent by the end of the century posing serious threats to human health, agriculture, biodiversity and infrastructure.
The data, collected between 1961 and 2023 shows that low income countries could face up to six times greater impact compared to the global average. This disparity is linked to weaker infrastructure, higher vulnerability and limited adaptive resources.
With climate unpredictability on the rise, scientists are urging immediate emissions reductions to avoid deepening the climate crisis and to protect both ecosystems and vulnerable communities from the devastating impacts of these rapid climate swings.