How has the percentage of people experiencing extreme heat stress changed since the 1970s?

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The percentage of the global population exposed to extreme heat stress has increased significantly since the 1970s.

Since the 1970s, the proportion of the world's population experiencing at least one day of extreme heat stress, defined as a "feels-like" temperature of at least 46°C, has risen from 16% to 22%. This escalation translates to approximately one billion additional individuals facing such conditions compared to fifty years ago.
Rise in Extreme Heat Stress Exposure

In the 1970s, a notable 16% of the global population was subjected to at least one day of extreme heat stress. This figure has since climbed to 22% in the present day, indicating a substantial increase in widespread exposure to hazardous heat conditions.
Quantifying the Additional Affected Population

The increase from 16% to 22% in the percentage of people experiencing extreme heat stress represents a significant demographic shift. This change means that roughly one billion more individuals are now exposed to extreme heat stress than was the case in the 1970s.
Factors Contributing to Increased Heat Stress

The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), which accounts for factors like humidity, wind, and radiation, has been rising. This rise is attributed to human-driven global warming, leading to more frequent, severe, and prolonged heat stress events across all continents.
Geographic Expansion of Heat Stress

Extreme heat stress is not only becoming more intense but also expanding into regions where it was historically uncommon. For instance, very strong heat stress, with a "feels-like" temperature of at least 38°C, has now reached parts of North America, the UK, and Scandinavia.

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How has the percentage of people experiencing extreme heat stress changed since the 1970s?

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