Unbearable Heat for Hundreds of Millions

Projection of the number of days of “uncompensable heat stress” during the 4-month period of summer (March to June) and monsoon (July to October). When extreme heat coincides with high levels of humidity, the body struggles to compensate for the heat by natural sweating. When the global mean warming levels exceed 2°C, communities in the Gangetic Plain (Northwestern India) are increasingly affected by this serious health risk. More than a billion people will be affected if global heating approaches 3°C. Credit: Chuphal et al. [2026], Figure 4