Limiting warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would still expose 400 million people to dangerous heat levels by the end of the century, according to new research.
About 2 billion people, an estimated 23% of the global population, will be living in dangerous heat conditions by the end of this century if climate policies continue on their current trajectory.
This is the result of a study led by scientists at the University of Exeter in the UK and Nanjing University in China, recently published in the journal "Nature Sustainability."
If the climate continues to warm more severely, about 3.3 billion people could face extreme temperatures by the end of this century.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), extreme heat can lead to a range of illnesses and deaths, the main ones being heatstroke and hyperthermia.
Extreme temperatures also exacerbate chronic conditions and have indirect impacts on disease transmission, air quality and critical infrastructure.
The elderly, infants and children, pregnant women, manual and outdoor workers, athletes and the poor are particularly vulnerable to higher temperatures.
Limiting warming to below the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would still expose 400 million people to dangerous heat by the end of the century, research shows.
Looking at the impact of individual countries on dangerous heat, the researchers found that the average emissions of people in rich countries like the US could impact future global warming, but people in these countries do not face as much threat from dangerous heat as those in poor countries.
Previous studies have shown that urban areas are particularly vulnerable to dangerous temperature increases due to the "heat island effect."
Buildings, roads and infrastructure absorb more heat and temperatures can even rise by up to 15 degrees Celsius in some cases compared to rural areas with natural environments such as forests and lakes.
As cities around the world face the threat of extreme heat, governments are deploying solutions and approaches to mitigate the effects. However, the solutions remain local.
The city of Los Angeles, California, which ranks as the area hardest hit by natural disasters, including heat waves, recently launched a campaign to build more "resilience centers," providing shade and cooling with renewable energy in high-risk communities.
The city already has a network of cooling centers, mostly in libraries, where people can go to escape the heat. In addition to the cooling centers, the city is also working on an early warning system for heat waves.
Meanwhile, in Phoenix, a city in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, a number of reforms are being implemented, including the construction of cooling sidewalks made of a special material that reflects sunlight.
The city of Miami in Florida is planning major urban tree planting campaigns and has also spent millions of dollars on air conditioning units in public places and providing financial assistance to help cover energy bills for low-income households.
However, authorities say the use of air conditioning is only a last resort to adapt to the impacts of climate change .
In the city of Santiago, the government wants to plant 33 forests, which will be used as shelters from the heat , especially near schools and medical facilities.
This is an alternative solution to air-conditioned cooling centers that are being developed in many places in the US and Europe./.
Phuong Hoa (Vietnam+)
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