By 2100, Heat Stress May Impact Over 1.2 Billion People Annually

According to a study, assuming current greenhouse gas emissions, stress from extreme heat and humidity will annually impact areas that are home to about 1.2 billion people worldwide by 2100.

Researchers from Rutgers University-New Brunswick in the US said that if we compare people without the industrial-era global warming, they were less affected by 12 times.
According to the research, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, rising global temperatures are increasing exposure to heat stress, which harms human health, agriculture, the economy, and the environment.
They also found in the climate studies projects that heat stress has focused on heat extremes but not considered the role of humidity.
From Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s senior author Robert E Kopp said, When they look at the risks of a warmer planet, they need to pay particular attention to combined extremes of heat and humidity, which are especially hazardous to human health.
Lead author Dawei Li, a former post-doctoral associate at Rutgers, and now at the University of Massachusetts said that hot, humid days more frequent and intense days are made by every bit of global warming.
The body’s inability to cool down properly through sweating results from heat stress. Body temperature can rise quickly, and high temperatures may damage the brain and other vital organs. From milder conditions like heat rash and heat cramps to heat exhaustion are the ranges of heat stress. In which heat exhaustion is the most common type.
Using 40 climate simulations to get statistics on rare events, the study looked at how combined extremes of heat and humidity increase on a warming Earth.
Temperature, humidity and other environmental factors, including wind speed, sun angle, and solar and infrared radiation were the accounts are focused on a measure of heat stress.
The researchers said if the planet warms by 1.5 degrees Celsius, and nearly 800 million at 2 degrees Celsius, annual exposure to extreme heat and humidity above safety guidelines are projected to affect areas currently home to about 500 million people.
About 1.2 degrees above the late 19th century levels, the planets are already warmed.
By the end of this century under current global policies, according to the study, an estimated 1.2 billion people would be affected with 3 degrees Celsius of warming is expected.

By: Suvarna Gupta

Content: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/heat-stress-may-impact-over-12-billion-people-annually-by-2100-study/article31069592.ece