A new study has identified the central north Amazon as a region experiencing the fastest rise in extreme heat and water stress, according to research published in Communications Earth & Environment. This area includes vast stretches of dense rainforest, natural savannas, and significant Indigenous territories. Surprisingly, this region was not previously considered the most affected by climate change. The findings show that 10% of the Amazon basin, an area larger than Afghanistan, has seen extreme dry-season temperatures rise by at least 0.75°C per decade and more than 3.22°C since 1981. These changes have worsened over the past 43 years, though the overall average temperature rise in the Amazon is 0.21°C per decade, which matches global warming trends. The study, led by researchers at Lancaster University in collaboration with WWF UK and an international team of over 50 scientists, offers the most up-to-date assessment of climate extremes in the Amazon over more than four decades. The researchers divided the Amazon into 11-km (7-mile) sections and used high-resolution satellite and weather station data to model temperature changes and water stress across the entire region from 1981 to 2023. To assess the rate of climate change, the study used two methods: "central tendency," which looks at average changes in temperature and water availability, and "extreme tendency," which focuses on the most extreme years. According to Professor Jos Barlow, lead author of the study, the most severe impacts are caused by the hottest and driest periods. While the southern Amazon, known for significant deforestation, is the fastest-warming region based on average temperatures, the central north Amazon is experiencing the most rapid growth in extreme climate conditions. Dr. Nathália Carvalho, a postdoctoral researcher at Lancaster Environment Centre, noted that changes in extreme climate conditions are occurring much faster than changes in average conditions in the Amazon. Moreover, the regions most affected by these extremes differ from those impacted by average climate changes. This highlights that the Amazon is not changing uniformly, a key insight for developing climate change adaptation strategies. The study also found that the rapid rise in extreme temperatures in the central north Amazon cannot be explained by local factors such as deforestation or land-use changes, as this area is far from the main deforestation zone. Barlow stated that the changes are primarily due to global climate change, emphasizing that global greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for these effects. Recent studies have shown that climate extremes are already affecting the region, including the first observed mass death of mammals like sloths, and changes in bird populations, lifespans, and behaviors. The area has also experienced extensive forest fires, extreme heat, and drought, leading to megafires that caused air pollution in Manaus. Drying rivers have also impacted the health of people living in the forests. Dr. Joice Ferreira from Brazil’s Embrapa highlighted that extreme climate events are affecting local livelihoods, particularly key products like açaí, which threatens food security and undermines the role of forests in a growing socio-bioeconomy. These impacts could derail public policies currently being designed and implemented by Brazilian and state governments, such as forest restoration plans. Barlow emphasized the urgent need for adaptation measures to address the impacts of rapidly changing climate extremes, including preventing factors that amplify climate risks such as deforestation. He also called for measures to support efforts to combat forest fires and assist local people when rivers they rely on for navigation dry up, especially in a year like 2026 with the arrival of a super El Niño. Mike Barrett, chief scientific adviser at WWF-UK, stated that the rapidly increasing climate extremes revealed in the study highlight the urgent need for global action on climate change. He also noted the need for support for other measures, including an end to deforestation and initiatives such as the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, to avoid critical tipping points and environmental collapse.