The number of days with above-average temperatures around the world has more than doubled since the early 1980s, according to a new report from the OECD, with heat and drought now posing a growing threat to economies, food supplies and energy systems.
The Climate Action Monitor 2026, published on Thursday, finds that the global number of days with above-average temperatures has risen by 126% since the early 1980s. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa, the number has more than tripled.
About half of the population in OECD countries is now exposed to hot days — temperatures above 35°C — every year. Between 2021 and 2025, people in OECD countries experienced 35% more heat stress days than during the 1981–2010 baseline, equivalent to an extra 17 days a year on average.
The report warns that the damage goes well beyond discomfort. Extreme heat and drought affect livelihoods, ecosystems and economic activity, with consequences including adverse health impacts, loss of life, displacement and disruption to transport, energy, water and agricultural systems.
Drying soils are a particular concern. Cropland soil moisture across OECD member and partner countries was 2.6% lower on average in 2021–2025 than in 1981–2010, raising risks for agricultural water availability. Because many of the affected countries are major agricultural producers and exporters, the OECD warns of potential consequences for food security and global supply chains.
Drought can also disrupt energy production. Low river flows and high water temperatures can constrain nuclear power generation, while reduced water availability can affect hydropower output. Low river levels can restrict inland navigation and major shipping routes, increasing transport costs and disrupting trade.
The report is not entirely bleak. It notes that businesses and governments are already taking steps to strengthen resilience: companies are diversifying transport options and strengthening supply chains to cope with drought-related disruption, while heat action plans are being developed to reduce risks to human health. Strengthening adaptation, the OECD says, can help limit economic disruption and protect vulnerable populations.
But with drought severity projected to increase by 2100, the report’s message is clear: heat and water stress are no longer future risks. They are already reshaping economies today.
Sources: OECD, “Rising exposure to extreme heat and droughts poses growing risks to economies, OECD finds” (https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2026/11/rising-exposure-to-extreme-heat-and-droughts-poses-growing-risks-to-economies-oecd-finds.html)
