Heat exposure is a silent killer that claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. As global temperatures rise, awareness is key.
During recent heatwave seasons, wildfires have dominated the news. Videos of large flames engulfing landscapes around the world are a reminder of the danger that fast-spreading fires pose to nature, wildlife, homes, and communities.
However, the prolonged heat exposure that causes these fires remains a silent threat to humans, one that lurks when temperatures soar past normal levels.
Heat-induced health problems haven’t received enough attention in media coverage, as they aren’t as apparent or immediate as potential physical injuries caused by other weather events like flash floods or storms.
Long-term health consequences like kidney failure, brain damage, and heart damage have been linked to those who don’t have the means to adequately protect themselves during vicious heatwaves.
Evidently, it is a worthy topic of discussion, as human exposure to extreme heat is only being amplified further each year by the climate crisis. It’s also a timely one, as scorching temperatures are now the leading cause of annual deaths in the US over any other natural disaster.
Regardless of whether we meet the deadline of our current carbon reduction targets, global temperatures will continue to climb over the next couple decades.
Let’s take the positive stance and say the best-case scenario happens. It’s the year 2035, we’ve made the widespread global switch to sustainable, green technologies, and intense temperatures are finally plateauing.
We still need to wait until they fall to normal levels, as our climate ecosystem slowly repairs itself over time. So how can we best manage this?
In places where temperatures are already soaring 5-10 degrees beyond the norm during each summer season, experts are advising governments to set up warning systems, close schools, and discourage outdoor activities during especially warmer weeks.
The use of digital media is being encouraged as a useful avenue to raise public awareness of the dangers of extreme heatwaves, as well as to provide advice on safety measures and coping mechanisms.
Drinking lots of water, wearing light coloured clothing, choosing breathable fabrics, and simply staying inside are amongst some of the easiest guidelines to follow.
Credit: WHO
Some major infrastructural changes for avoiding heat will need building, especially in urban areas which are proven to have warmer air, surface, and soil temperatures.
Water-misting stations could be dotted along corners of city streets to help people stay cool. We’ll all be nice and dewy like the vegetable section at a supermarket.
Shaded areas in parks and on city streets will need constructing, sun-reflecting white paint on skyscraper rooves, and efforts to plant more trees will need to be ramped up.
One botanist is encouraging the transformation of heat-absorbing concrete cities into green jungles, which could see new trees act as dual-powered ‘air-conditioning’, cooling urban air while treating atmospheric pollution.
On the most basic level, remembering to check on family and friends – especially the elderly and most vulnerable – is important as we deal with the effects of our warming Earth.
We already highlighted here at Thred how 5 million people were displaced last year due to extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Unfairly, those bearing the brunt of devastating natural disasters are mainly those living in countries with the least emission levels.
I’m no meteorologist, but a look at the weather trends indicates that the gap of climate disparity could be starting to close, with richer nations enduring their highest recorded temperatures yet.
As we make strides to take better care of the planet, we sometimes need a reminder to care for one another. That sentiment goes for high carbon-emitting companies and nations, too.
Could this turning of the temperature dial be a catalyst for change? The answer is still pending – but there’s no doubt policy makers will be starting to feel the heat.
Deputy Editor & Content Partnership ManagerLondon, UK
I’m Jessica (She/Her). I’m the Deputy Editor & Content Partnership Manager at Thred. Originally from the island of Bermuda, I specialise in writing about ocean health and marine conservation, but you can also find me delving into pop culture, health and wellness, plus sustainability in the beauty and fashion industries. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
Women joining the carnivore trend might look like a rebellion against diet culture, but the motivations, the messaging, and the results people chase still fall along familiar gender lines.
In his New York Times piece about ‘the Men Who Eat Meat’, Steven Kurutz prefaces his exploration into the carnivorous diet trend by contrasting it with ‘Girl Dinner’.
In case you missed it, the internet trend involves women documenting themselves curating...
Such a move tells us all where the nation’s priorities lie on the environmental front.
Covering 52% of Indonesia’s land is lush rainforests, making it one of the largest tropical rainforest systems in the world after the Amazon and Congo Basin.
Contrary to popular belief, its rainforest isn’t just a dense forest with tall jungle green trees, and constant rain. In countries such as Indonesia, the term is often used...
The ongoing Barry Arm landslide has alerted experts, driving a push to understand and monitor its progress before it triggers a megatsunami that could devastate all surrounding life.
In 2019, Valisa Higman was boating around the Barry Arm fjord when she noticed massive and unusual fractures on the cliffs above the nearby Barry Glacier in Alaska. This kickstarted major efforts, with satellite data confirming that a massive section of...
In an age obsessed with niche interests and self-optimization, community has become collateral damage.
There was a time when hobbies were simply things we did.
You ran because you liked running. We watched films because we liked them. We read books because we fancied reading books. These activities stitched meaning into the fabric of daily life. But today, there’s a relentless insistence that leisure needs to justify itself in order to...
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
0 comments
