Divergence between physical and emotional heat resilience in Chinese cities

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02732-8Heatwaves threaten both physical and mental health, yet physical heat exposure and emotional responses often diverge. The study shows that 84.9% of Chinese cities experienced severe emotional shocks, compared with 52.1% facing severe heat exposure, driven by socioeconomic and environmental factors.