Adapting to heat waves in urban areas
Heat waves are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity worldwide in response to climate change.
According to the Lancet Countdown, “vulnerability to extremes of heat has steadily risen since 1990 in every region, with 157 million more people exposed to heatwave events in 2017, compared with 2000”.
Today, nearly a third of the world’s population faces heat spikes for at least 20 days a year. By 2100, this proportion could rise to 70% of the population if nothing is done to limit global warming.
As a result, the number of temperature-related illnesses are also on the rise, including respiratory diseases, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, kidney disease and even death (WHO). The increase in the number of deaths per additional degree Celsius of temperature is estimated at +2% to 5%.
SPEAKERS
of people more exposed to heat waves
felt in the city
more people would be added to urban areas within 30 years
How climate change affects extreme weather around the world
Scientists have published more than 230 peer-reviewed studies looking at weather events around the world, from Hurricane Katrina to Russia’s 2010 heatwave.
Heat waves will soon be the new normal
Climate change is often talked about in terms of averages — like the goal set by the Paris Agreement to limit the Earth’s temperature
