Climate change is more and more evident, more and more damaging, its effects are more and more devastating, however, efforts to reduce it are not being carried out, or at least not enough as they should be.
As we know from previous experiences, climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves and droughts. However, in the media, we don't hear the words "climate change" or "global warming"; they only talk about a heat wave that is more or less intense and long-lasting. What will happen if this continues?
Heat waves increase
Global warming and climate change are primarily caused by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that humans have produced since the Industrial Revolution. It is estimated that 74% of the world's population will be exposed to deadly heat waves by the year 2100. This estimate assumes that greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at the current rate. This information was published in the British journal Nature.
The research, conducted by the University of Hawaii (USA), predicts that even if these emissions were drastically reduced, around 48% of the population will be affected by the sharp rise in temperature. In this way, we are exhausting our options for the future. Even today, heat waves are very harmful to a large part of the population (especially the elderly). That is why, if things continue this way, our chances of withstanding heat waves will diminish even further.
Heat waves cause thousands of deaths worldwide each year. A major problem associated with heat waves is drought. The higher the temperature and the more hours of sunshine, the more water evaporates and the fewer water resources we have. Therefore, the impact of heat waves is much greater when droughts are present. For more information on this topic, you can consult the article on temperature records in different regions.
If greenhouse gas emissions continue at this rate, global average temperatures will continue to rise more and more and there will be no Paris Agreement that can stop it.
“The human body can only function within a narrow range of body temperatures of around 37 degrees Celsius. Heat waves pose a considerable risk to human life because high temperatures, aggravated by high humidity, can raise body temperature and create life-threatening conditions ,” says Mora, one of the experts in charge of the study.
Since the optimal temperature is 37 degrees Celsius, our metabolism cannot dissipate the heat generated when the ambient temperature exceeds 37 degrees. Therefore, such high temperatures pose a health risk, as they can lead to a buildup of heat inside the body that causes damage. Furthermore, it is important to consider how heat affects animals, a topic you can explore in this article.
Fatalities and high temperatures
The study investigated all deaths caused by heat waves since 1980. More than 1.900 cases were identified in different parts of the world where high temperatures resulted in fatalities. There were 783 lethal heat waves , and researchers discovered a temperature and humidity threshold beyond which the health effects become deadly. The area of the planet where weather conditions exceed this threshold for 20 or more days a year has increased in recent years, and scientists believe it will continue to grow even if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.
Among the examples provided by experts are the heat wave that struck Europe in 2003, causing approximately 70.000 deaths; the one that affected Moscow, Russia, in 2010, which claimed 10.000 lives; and the one in Chicago in 1995, which resulted in 700 fatalities. Currently, around 30% of the world's population is exposed to these lethal conditions each year. The problem of heat waves is a prominent aspect in various studies on climate change, including analyses of deadly heat waves and their impact on the global population , as well as research on the impacts of heat waves.
This is what is causing climate change, and efforts to reduce it are increasingly diminishing.
