"From hail the size of golf balls to deadly heat, concert-goers in 2023 were forced to deal with extreme weather events that put them in harm's way during the world's warmest year on record, with temperatures predicted to climb even higher in 2024.

Crowd safety experts and outdoor event organisers are exploring ways to protect performers and fans from the growing threat of extreme weather, after global warming neared an internationally agreed limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius last year.

"There was not a single month during 2023 where we did not have multiple incidents like that," said Milad Haghani, a senior lecturer specialising in public safety and disasters at Australia's University of New South Wales (UNSW)."

Diana Baptista reports for Thomson Reuters Foundation January 24, 2024. [2]