Feeling the heat
25 July 2023
Recent news reports have been dominated by the life-threatening wildfires in Greece that have destroyed homes and forced thousands of holidaymakers to evacuate hotels. Other parts of the world have also been affected.
With temperatures soaring above 40C for prolonged periods, experts say that the hot and dry weather created favourable conditions for fire to spread more easily.
And in a report published today, scientists state that human-caused global heating is contributing to changing global weather patterns that are causing such extreme events.
This must surely have implications for the way design and construct homes, workplaces and other buildings, as well as the equipment needed to keep people cool and protect them from the heat.
As the blog reported last week, severe heatwaves have also struck Europe and the US.
The latest analysis from the World Weather Attribution group used weather data from up to 18 July and computer models to compare today’s climate, with 1.2C of global heating, against the cooler climate of the late 1800s.
According to the scientists, the results show that severe heatwaves are no longer rare and will worsen as emissions continue to rise. If the world heats by 2C, they will happen every two to five years.
Quoted in the Guardian, Dr Friederike Otto of Imperial College London, UK, who was part of the analysis team, said: “I don’t think stronger evidence has ever been presented for a scientific question,” adding that it was “absolutely critical” that governments agree to phase out fossil fuels at the UN climate summit Cop28, which opens on 30 November.
Julie Arrighi, Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and another of the report’s authors, described heat as being “among the deadliest types of disaster," adding that countries around the world must build heat-resistant homes, create ‘cool centres’ for people to find shelter, and find ways to reduce temperatures in cities such as planting more trees.
The report highlights the dramatic impact of heatwaves across the world. Heat-related fatalities occurred and people’s health suffered, raising awareness that equipment like air conditioners and fans will need to be readily available.
Parts of China have experienced record power demands and there were outages in the US and Europe. Low water levels in the Rhine meant that barges had to carry less freight, while a number of water-cooled nuclear plants in France had to reduce capacity.
This again shows why electricity networks must be made more resilient by harnessing energy from sources like solar panels and wind turbines, and storing it in large battery systems to be distributed when and where required.
A previous blog post also pointed out that, for those working outdoors, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance covers the provision of mobile facilities for keeping people cool, together with providing adequate PPE and enabling access to shaded areas.
And during the record-breaking heatwave in the UK last summer, when tarmacadam roads melted and railway lines buckled, the blog wondered whether measures would be introduced in this country to address the issues raised.
Interestingly, several at-risk cities have previously appointed chief heat officers to co-ordinate action to protect people in Athens, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other locations. To meet current needs, many places have established cooling centres in libraries, businesses and other facilities for people to to find relief.
Perhaps we will see more of such appointments in the future, alongside other measures, with a corresponding demand for appropriate cooling equipment and well-designed facilities.
Photo: Alexander Antropov
