Heatwaves could be hotter, more prolonged and frequent, the longer countries delay in reaching net zero emissions, a balance between greenhouse gases emitted and those taken out from the atmosphere, according to a modelling study.

Trends published in the journal 'Environmental Research: Climate' also indicate that heatwaves do not start to revert towards pre-industrial conditions for at least a millennium even after achieving net-zero targets.

Regions in the Southern Hemisphere are projected to experience heatwaves of significantly increasing severity when net zero was modelled to occur by 2050 or later.

Lead author Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, professor of climate science at the Australian National University, said the work challenges a general belief that conditions after net zero will

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