India, May 8 -- Climate change is creating serious and growing risks for millions of pilgrims performing the Hajj, with extreme heat and humidity already pushing human physiological limits during the 2024 pilgrimage, according to a new study.

According to the findings, during several hours of the 2024 Hajj, heat stress conditions exceeded survivability thresholds even for young, healthy adults. In June 2024, the combined impact of heat and humidity created a period of approximately four consecutive hours during which prolonged outdoor exposure became potentially fatal without access to cooling or immediate relief.

The study presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) assembly 2026, has been prepared by a team from the Weather and ...