Killer heatwaves in recent times could become a regular phenomenon, or up to half of the year, by 2100.
In a recent study, Harvard University climate researcher and lead author Lucas Vargas Zeppetello described a dreadful future with “nightmarish” conditions, with millions of peoples in tropical countries having to deal with extreme heatwaves.
Zeppetello and his team predicted that, assuming carbon emissions remain unchecked, the global average temperate could go beyond 3 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
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In such scenario, the heat index temperatures could frequently reach 51°C and above. These levels are considered extremely dangerous especially for people with outdoor occupation, not to mention the impact these temperatures will have on the global economy.
Even if humanity gets its act together, the research team predicted there’s only a 0.1 percent likelihood of limiting the increase to 1.5°C by 2100, which is the preferred limit per the 2015 Paris Climate Accords.
In comparison, the global temperature for twelve months up to June 2022 is 1.2°C above preindustrial levels, according to the EU Copernicus.
In a similar analysis by the UK on climate change, record-breaking heatwaves are predicted to become the norm in Europe as early as 2035.
Source: Channel News Asia