Quality of life · Civic life & environment
As at 13 October 2026 · official data unless labelled
People exposed to extreme temperatures
What the numbers are telling us
The share of people exposed to extreme temperatures was 11.2% in 2024, up 6.09 pts on the previous reading (5.1%).
It is above its 10-year average of 10.3%, which is a worse reading than usual.
Across 38 OECD countries (2024), Australia ranks 29th best of 38 on extreme heat, above the median of 0%.
Why it matters
Exposure to very hot days, a growing health risk as the climate warms.
What it should be
There is no official target, so Australia is judged against comparable countries: lower than the OECD median is better. The OECD median is 0%.
Every figure on this page is calculated from the stored official series (OECD, How's Life? Current well-being (OECD WISE)); the summary is written from the numbers, not edited by hand.