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Heatwaves worsen educational inequality in Brazil

Nature Climate Change volume 15, pages 1125–1126 (2025)Cite this article

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Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of heatwaves globally, with particularly alarming effects in the global south. In Brazil, recent years have seen record-breaking heat events, exacerbating challenges in public health, agriculture and urban life. However, an often overlooked impact of extreme heat is on learning outcomes and educational equity.

Emerging evidence demonstrates that heat exposure impairs human cognition, reduces learning productivity and undermines human capital accumulation1. Laboratory and field studies confirm that even moderate increases in temperature disrupt concentration, memory and executive functioning2. Moreover, chronic exposure to high temperatures can impair sleep quality, further degrading cognitive performance and self-regulation during school hours3.

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Acknowledgements

We thank D. P. R. de Oliveira (architect, urban planner, engineer and researcher) for providing the original photographs and for granting permission for their use in this Correspondence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, UNESC, Criciúma, Brazil

    Luana Stangherlin dos Santos & Júlio César Claudino dos Santos

  2. Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF, Niterói, Brazil

    Júlio César Claudino dos Santos

Authors
  1. Luana Stangherlin dos Santos
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  2. Júlio César Claudino dos Santos
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Correspondence to Júlio César Claudino dos Santos.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Stangherlin dos Santos, L., dos Santos, J.C.C. Heatwaves worsen educational inequality in Brazil. Nat. Clim. Chang. 15, 1125–1126 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02469-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02469-w

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