Washington: Deadly heat waves in the United States, Mexico and Central America have increased 35-fold due to global warming, the International Network of Climate Scientists said Thursday.
Extreme highs witnessed in the region in May and June are four times higher now than a quarter of a century ago,World Weather Attribution (WWA) scientists said.
The record-breaking heat in Mexico has killed at least 125 people and left thousands with heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when the body’s internal cooling mechanism fails.
“We don’t know the full picture of heat-related deaths because they are usually only confirmed and reported months after the event,” he said. global warming.
As the world continues to burn fossil fuels and release climate-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, millions more are expected to be exposed to dangerous levels in the future.
This year is the hottest year on record and much of the world is experiencing warm temperatures ahead of the onset of the northern hemisphere summer.
Greece experienced its first heat wave, India experienced a month of high temperatures, and the US is dealing with wildfires and heat conditions.
In Saudi Arabia, at least 900 people die each year during the Hajj, mostly because of the unbearable heat, with temperatures in Mecca reaching 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit).
For its research, WWA analyzed five consecutive hot domes in late May and early June in the southwest of the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras.
Scientists have developed ways to use climate models to understand how these types of extreme events have changed in a world 1.2 degrees warmer than pre-industrial times.
“Human-caused warming from fossil fuels has warmed the five-day maximum temperature event by 1.4 degrees, and about 35 times higher,” he said.
WWA warns that if people continue to burn fossil fuels in the near future, this could become more common.
“An additional 1.4C of warming caused by climate change will be the difference between many people dying in May and June,” said Karina Izquierdo, city adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Red Cross Climate Center.
“Along with reducing emissions, governments and cities must take steps to become more heat resistant,” he said.
Heat is the worst weather condition, but it’s often underestimated, experts say.
In Mexico and Central America, the effects of heat are exacerbated by poor housing conditions, access to cooling services, and those living in informal settlements.
Extreme heat also threatens the stability of the electricity supply, which is essential for the functioning of health facilities.
Scientists say extreme heat systems and action plans can strengthen Central America’s preparedness for such events with the necessary security measures to protect people outside Central America.
According to WWA, green spaces and improved infrastructure in informal settlements will help protect the most vulnerable.
