Tag Archives: extreme heat

Extreme Heat Triggers Power and Water Cuts in Northern India

A record-breaking heat wave hit northern India in June as temperatures reached 120 degrees.  The power authority couldn’t meet the increased energy demand which has led to power and water cuts throughout the region.

Protesters took to the streets over the lack of basic services and attacked power sub stations, taking several workers hostage, and many companies are keeping workers indoors during the mid-day peak heat.  The extreme heat has also resulted in many deaths among the homeless, elderly and other vulnerable populations.

White Roofs Seen as Part of the Solution

Many people head for the thermostat to cool things down indoors when it gets hot outside.  The problem is, running our air conditioner only makes the problem worse by adding to the strain on an already overworked energy grid, and increasing the amount of carbon in the air.  This is especially true during extreme heat events.  And for vulnerable populations without access to air conditioning, extreme heat could be – and often is – life-threatening.

That’s why cities are looking at other ways to naturally reduce the urban heat island effect.  White roofs, reflective surfaces, and planting trees all add up to cooler temperatures as we deal with the increasingly real effects of climate change.

Read more about the problem in northern climates, and see what Toronto is doing about it.

Cool Surfaces and Social Justice

Heat kills more than 1,500 people in the U.S. each year – more than any type of other natural disaster.  In many cities around the world, it’s not uncommon to find that people in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods are often the most vulnerable to heat.

New research highlights just how vulnerable poor and minority communities are to urban heat.  Cities such asToronto and Washington, DC have identified opportunities to improve environmental and social justice by mitigating their urban heat islands.

Extreme Heat Hits Northern Cities Too

Several recent reports have shed light on the many ways climate change is affecting our way of life, and these reports have people talking about strategies for dealing with extreme heat and the resulting health problems.  We expect extreme heat events down in Atlanta, GA or Los Angeles, CA.  But we’re also hearing of concerns over the urban heat island effect and extreme heat in northern cities like Minneapolis, MN and Chicago, IL.

Atlanta is better able to handle these extreme heat events, with most buildings and homes equipped with air conditioning units.  But cities further north may not have the cooling infrastructure to handle more extreme heat waves.  Schools (which don’t have air conditioning) are shut down and children stay home.  People living on the top floors of un-air conditioned buildings are in greater danger of illness or even death from this extreme heat.

Extreme heat is also affecting places like London, England, and studies tell us that unless something’s done to mitigate the impact of climate change, mortality will increase significantly.   London could be looking at 800 deaths per year by 2050.  Another study tells us that London could see their heat-related mortality rate jump 257% by 2050 unless steps are taken to address the effects of extreme urban heat.

The good news is that more people are beginning to understand that – even in cooler climates such as London –cool roofs can bring down the temperature in buildings, increasing comfort and reducing the chance of heat-related illness and death.  It also brings down energy consumption, which means less carbon in our atmosphere.

You can learn more about extreme heat around the United States, by visiting NOAA’s extreme heat tracking site HERE.