The world faces a scorching reality, grappling with the impacts of rising temperatures worldwide. Alarming evidence shows a clear trend of increasing global temperatures, resulting in more frequent and intense heat waves while colder days diminish. In July 2023, Earth experienced an unsettling event, setting or matching records for the hottest day consecutively for four days, demanding immediate attention.
These escalating temperatures have far-reaching consequences, endangering ecosystems and human health and livelihoods. Ignoring this pressing challenge is no longer an option; urgent action is imperative to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Climate change-driven heat waves are setting new records worldwide
Global warming has already surpassed 1 degree Celsius, and if it reaches the 2-degree threshold, future Mediterranean heat waves could be at least 1 degree Celsius hotter. Climate models suggest heat waves worldwide will become more frequent and intense as the planet warms. Leaders need to prepare for a hotter world, as extreme heat is among the deadliest natural disasters. recent history, toppling records across the region.
Last month, early heat struck not only the Mediterranean but also many parts of Asia and North America, breaking temperature records. Much of Asia also suffered extreme heat last month, including Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh and parts of China. The city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, recorded its highest temperature in nearly six decades on April 16 at a blistering 40.6°C (105.1°F). Even so, this year’s heat wave was one of the most severe in recent history, toppling records across the region.
World on track to breach critical warming threshold in next 5 Years
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts that global temperatures will reach record levels in the next five years. This surge is attributed to heat-trapping greenhouse gases and a natural El Niño weather pattern. El Niño, originating in the Pacific Ocean along the equator, affects weather worldwide by causing a slowdown and even reversal of winds.
Between 2023 and 2027, there’s a 66% chance of the annual average near-surface global temperature exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one year. Additionally, there’s a 98% likelihood that at least one of the next five years, and the five-year period as a whole, will be the warmest on record.
Data taken from average surface air temperature anomalies for May, 1980-2022
European heatwave: Nearly 62,000 heat-related deaths
Europe is currently in the grip of an intense heatwave as a ‘heat dome’ expands over the southern half of the continent. This weather pattern has resulted in some of the hottest temperatures of the summer, with a warm air mass building up under a high-pressure system, leading to stable and dry conditions.
The peak of the heatwave is currently being felt, with parts of Greece, eastern Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, and southern Italy experiencing scorching temperatures exceeding 45°C at the beginning of this week.
Nearly 62,000 people died heat-related deaths last year during Europe’s hottest summer on record, a new study has found — more heartbreaking evidence that heat is a silent killer, and its victims are vastly under-counted. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that 61,672 died in Europe from heat-related illness between May 30 and September 4 last year. Italy was the hardest-hit country, with around 18,000 deaths, followed by Spain with just over 11,000, and Germany with around 8,000.
As intense heat engulfs southern Europe, sixteen cities in Italy have been issued red alerts, preparing for the possibility of record-breaking temperatures. The scorching heat wave is affecting prominent areas like Rome, Florence, and Bologna. Forecasters are cautioning that Sicily and Sardinia could witness temperatures soaring to an unprecedented 49°C (120°F), potentially marking the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe.
In addition to Italy, several regions in Greece, France, and Spain are also enduring extreme temperatures. Reports of tourists collapsing have emerged from Greece and Italy, while a tragic incident involving an outdoor worker’s death occurred near Milan. In recent days, Greece has experienced temperatures reaching 40°C or above.
Authorities and communities across the region are on high alert as they grapple with the extreme heat and its potential impacts on health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
Significance of one or two degrees of global warming
In our local environments, daily temperatures undergo fluctuations of several degrees, influenced by predictable cyclic events such as day and night, as well as seasonal changes like summer and winter. Unpredictable elements like wind and precipitation patterns also contribute to these variations. However, the global temperature hinges on the balance between the energy received from the Sun and the energy radiated back into space.
Even a seemingly minor one-degree global temperature change holds immense significance as it necessitates a vast amount of heat to warm the entire Earth, encompassing its oceans, atmosphere, and land masses. Historical data reveals that a mere one- to two-degree drop triggered the Little Ice Age, while a five-degree decrease led to the extensive glaciation of North America around 20,000 years ago.
‘Alarming’ heat wave threatens Bangladesh’s people
Large parts of Asia, including Bangladesh, are currently grappling with a severe heatwave, with temperatures hitting unprecedented levels not witnessed in over six decades.
On April 16, the capital city of Dhaka experienced scorching conditions, registering a blazing 40.6°C (105.1°F) on the thermometer, marking the highest temperature recorded in 58 years. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) officials report that this relentless heatwave has rendered people’s lives unbearable for more than a week, compounded by the impact of low humidity levels in the air.
According to a study by the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Dhaka, the city of Bangladesh, is experiencing a significant annual loss of USD 6 billion in labor productivity due to heat stress caused by extreme temperatures. This amounts to more than 8% of the city’s annual labor output, and without effective measures to combat global warming, this figure could rise to 10% by 2050.
The impact of excessive heat is widespread in Bangladesh, resulting in the loss of 7 billion working hours each year. On a 12-hour workday, a worker loses around 10 minutes of working time due to extreme heat, totaling 254 hours of labor loss per person annually as a consequence of heat stress.
Impoverished communities face heightened health hazards from extreme heat, with vulnerable workers in sectors like garment production, transportation, and retail commerce suffering the most. Economic losses up to 10% of income have been reported due to reduced productivity in high-temperature work environments.
Industries like brick and garment manufacturing experience significant losses as workers are exposed to even higher temperatures near machinery and ovens. Health experts predict increased water consumption in Dhaka, where access to drinking water is limited, due to soaring temperatures affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
Implementing the Heat Adaptation Plan (HAP) through mass awareness campaigns and technological development can mitigate extreme heat’s impacts on Bangladesh. This approach targets the well-being of the most vulnerable populations, addressing their specific needs and enhancing overall resilience.
Human activity main driver of Global warming
Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s air temperatures have exhibited a steady upward trend, with human activities, notably greenhouse gas emissions, emerging as the primary driver of this warming phenomenon, as per mounting evidence.
Led by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), an ongoing temperature analysis has revealed a staggering surge in the average global temperature of at least 1.1°C (1.9°F) since 1880. The most significant increase has occurred since 1975, with temperatures rising at a rate of approximately 0.15 to 0.20°C per decade.
The temperature records begin around 1880, limited by global coverage before that period. For comparison, the NASA GISS team adopted the 1951-1980 timeframe as their baseline, aligning with the US National Weather Service’s definition of “normal” or average temperature over three decades. The objective of this study is to estimate temperature changes and assess them in correlation with climate change predictions, specifically linked to atmospheric carbon dioxide, aerosols, and solar activity.
Building resilience to extreme heat: Key strategies
The Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation portal is evidence to be a vital tool in helping communities comprehend and prepare for present and future climate risks. This portal offers real-time mapping of critical factors such as wildfires, droughts, flooding, and extreme heat, enabling communities to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies for resilience. Some of the strategies included:
- Identifying vulnerable populations and creating comprehensive heat preparedness plans, including opening cooling centers during extreme heat periods and implementing workplace heat stress standards.
- Implementing cool and green roofs, along with cool pavement, to mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce overall temperatures.
- Increasing tree planting to offer shade and utilize evapotranspiration to cool the air.
- Emphasizing energy efficiency to lower electricity grid demand, particularly during heat waves.
Will Paris Agreement be successful?
In addition to increasing global temperatures, the Paris Agreement sets long-term goals to guide all nations to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 °C while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 °C, to avoid or reduce adverse impacts and related losses and damages. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate-related risks for natural and human systems are higher for global warming at 1.5 °C than at present but lower than at 2 °C.
The ongoing Early Warnings for All initiative is a key focus, aiming to safeguard communities from the escalating impact of extreme weather events.
Additionally, delegates will deliberate on the implementation of a new Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure, aimed at providing crucial data to inform effective climate mitigation strategies. These priorities underscore the urgency and commitment to addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change on both human well-being and the environment.
