heat-related deaths
Heat-related deaths could increase fivefold by middle of 21st century, WHO co-authored report says
Heat-related deaths across the world could increase almost fivefold by the middle of the century, according to a new report by more than 100 researchers.
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Dangerous heat waves expose India’s inequality, deadly risk for poor
A poor Kolkata neighborhood lost power during a heat wave, unlike a nearby luxury mall. The resulting protest exposed extreme heat’s unequal toll in India.
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Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash
Scorching heat is contributing to migrant deaths
Amid a relentless heat wave, some migrants are succumbing to heat exhaustion. More than 500 people have died of various causes this year while trying to cross from Mexico.
In Canada’s coldest city, homes built for warmth are way too hot
As apartments and seniors’ residences become ‘heat boxes’ in Winnipeg, residents and advocates are calling on governments to enact legislation to protect tenants as climate change means more very hot days than ever before, Julia-Simone Rutgers writes forThe Narwhal.
In a nutshell:
During this summer of record-setting heat, we've been seeing a lot of reporting on vulnerable populations sweltering, sickening and sometimes dying in stifling apartments or out on the streets. Some cities have resources and support teams in place to cope with extreme heat events and some do not. Winnipeg, the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Manitoba, tends to invoke images of a parka-clad populace struggling to stay warm through long bitter winters and until recently scant attention has been paid to keeping cool through Winnipeg's short, but ever-hotter, summers.
Key quote:
“There’s an extreme lack of understanding of how closely linked the affordability, health and climate crisis are. People are siloing these issues without recognizing that increased heat means significant health consequences and lack of affordable energy means an affordability crisis.”
Big picture:
It doesn't have to be 100 degrees F to threaten lives. In one of Canada's coldest cities, in a province famous for a large concentration of polar bears, overheating is not something that immediately comes to mind, but a brutal mid-June heat wave laid bare Winnipeg's problems of old, energy-inefficient buildings, deficient tree canopy and insufficient infrastructure. Many solutions for keeping cool, such as heat pumps or air conditioning or even a simple electric fan are a financial stretch for vulnerable populations.
Read the full story in The Narwhal
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In a Texas city, heat proved deadly even for those long used to it
Extreme heat killed 10 people in Laredo, a sign that the eventual death toll from this year’s widespread heat waves could be substantial.
Photo by Raju Bhupatiraju on Unsplash
Extreme heat is here to stay. Why are we not more afraid?
In “The Heat Will Kill You First,” Jeff Goodell documents the lethal effects of rising temperatures and argues that we need to take hot weather a lot more seriously.
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Emergency room visits and 911 calls for heat illness spike during Texas heat wave
Prolonged 100-plus degree weather has sent hundreds of Texans to emergency rooms this month.
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