London . The pace of climate change has pushed cities around the world into unprecedented heat. According to a report, urban temperatures are expected to increase by 2 degrees to 7 degrees Celsius in the coming decades. Due to the urban heat island effect, heat can become more unbearable in concrete and crowded areas. Its biggest impact will be on the poor, children, elderly and people working in the open.
It has been said in the report that due to increasing heat, there will be a huge decline in labor productivity. Working hours equivalent to 3.75 million full-time jobs have been lost due to heat between 1995 and 2030, which could rise to 8.1 million by 2030. Due to this, the global economic loss is estimated to reach about 498 billion dollars.
According to the report, big cities like Delhi, Tokyo, Beijing, Karachi, Dhaka and Jakarta will see severe heat, health crisis, water shortage and increased demand for cooling equipment in the next years. According to WHO, cases of heatstroke due to heatwave are increasing rapidly globally. Between 2000–2021, there has been an 85% increase in heat-related deaths among people above 65 years of age. In Europe alone, more than 61,000 additional deaths were recorded in the summer of 2022.
Climate experts say that between 2008 and 2019, an average of 1,116 people lost their lives due to heatwave every year in ten major cities of India. He says that both immediate relief measures and long-term urban planning are necessary to deal with the rising heat. Increasing green cover in cities, conserving water bodies and reducing the use of concrete are necessary steps. The effect of heat is also visible on agriculture. Scientists are busy developing crop species that can tolerate less water and heat. Experts believe that Himalayan glaciers are melting rapidly, increasing the risk of artificial lakes and flash floods. In the coming time, the flow of water in rivers and the frequency of floods in the plains may increase.
Experts have warned that taking heatwave lightly can be dangerous. Excessive temperature can damage body organs and if timely help is not received, life can be in danger. To deal with the challenge of increasing heat, both the society and the government will have to prepare from now on.
