Heat waves hit the poor hardest – a new study calculates the rising impact on those least able to adapt to the warming climate

Spend some time in a developing country during heat waves and you will quickly see why poorer nations are at greatest risk from climate change. Most homes are not designed for climate change. don’t have air conditioning, and even Overheating can lead to heat in health clinics.

These countries are often located in the hottest regions of the world. Their riskThis is Extreme heat wavesIs As the planet warms, it will rise.

In a new studyOur team of Climate Scientists, economists engineersIt was found that the poorest regions of the globe will be exposed to heat waves up to five times more than the richer countries by 2060s. By the end of the century, the lowest-income quarter of the global population’s heat exposure will almost match that of the entire rest of the world.

It is vital to be able to adapt to rising heat.

Although heat waves are often rated by their intensity or frequency, vulnerability is more.

A key factor in the amount of harm heat waves cause is people’s capacity to adapt with measures like cooling technology and the power to run it.

We used climate models to project future heat wave exposure. Importantly, we also incorporated estimates of countries’ ability to adapt to rising temperatures and lower their heat exposure risk.

We found that while wealthy countries can buffer their risk by rapidly investing in measures to adapt to climate change, the poorest quarter of the world – areas likely to be slower to adapt – Heat risk will increase..

Poverty slows down the ability to adapt and deal with rising heat

Heat waves are one of the most deadly climate-related disasters. They can cause severe damage to crops, livestock, and infrastructure. Currently, Around 30% of the global population are affluent.Studies show that heat and humidity levels can cause death in certain areas. This risk is increasing.

Adaptation measures such as cooling centers and home-cooling technology, urban design, and Designs that reduce heat, can lower a population’s heat exposure impact. However, a country’s ability to implement adaptation measures generally depends on its Governance, culture, and knowledge are all important aspects of financial resources.. Everyone is affected by poverty. Many In developing countries, it is difficult to provide basic servicesProtections against escalating disasters in the warmer future are not enough.

The compounding effects Political, economic, and institutional factors cause a lag in low-income countries’ ability to adapt to the changing climate.

According to our estimates, the poorest quarter of humanity is behind the richest by approximately 15 years in adapting for rising temperatures. This estimate is based the pace of preparation and support to adaptation plans described in this report. U.N. Environment Program’s Adaptation Gap Report. While the actual lag will vary due to wealth inequality, this estimate gives an overview of rising risks.

Globally, heat risks are rising, but in poorer areas, they are higher

We found a 60% increase of heat wave days in 2010s compared to the 1980s. A heat wave was defined as extreme daily temperatures exceeding the 97th per centile for the region, for at most three consecutive days.

We also observed that heat wave season lengths were increasing, with more frequent heat waves during the early- and later-seasons. This can increase heat-related deaths.

Our analysis showed that people’s average heat wave exposure in the poorest quarter of the world during the 2010s was more than 40% greater than in the wealthiest quarter – roughly 2.4 billion person-days of heat wave exposure per year compared with 1.7 billion. A person-day is the number people who are exposed to heat waves over the course of a given number of days.

This heat wave risk has been a problem in poor countries. OverlookedBy the developed world, in large part because heat deaths aren’t consistently trackedIn many countries.

By the 2030s, we project that the lowest-income quarter of the world’s population will face 12.3 billion person-days of heat wave exposure, compared with 15.3 billion for the rest of the world combined.

We estimate that it will reach 19.8 Billion person-days of heatwave exposure by 2090s in the poorest quarter. This is almost as much as the three highest-income quarters combined.

Climate justice and future requirements

These results are further evidence that adaptation is essential to prevent climate-driven human disasters.

The world’s wealthiest nations, which have produced the lion’s share of greenhouse gases driving climate change, It was promised that US$100 billion would be directed annually a decade agoBy 2020, to assist the poor countries adapting to climate change and reducing its effects. Some of this money is flowingBut wealthy countries haven’t met the goal yet.

Studies in the meantime have found that economic losses due to future climate damage in developing nations will exceed $1 trillion. Between $290 billion and 580 billion A yearIt will continue to rise through 2030.

International assistance can be a key tool to help poorer countries adapt and cope with the effects of climate change. Innovators and companies can also play a significant role in developing low-cost microgrid electricity to aid poor countries in surviving escalating heat waves.