According to the World Meteorological Organisation, July 2019 was the hottest month recorded in Europe. The heat caused 13 deaths.
The UN article ” Climate Adaptation: Setting the Stage for Transformation, ” published in August 2019, clearly indicates climate change and evidence of the world’s changing weather patterns.
The article says Chennai, a city in southern India with a population of over 9 million, has experienced a city-wide water shortage.
World climate summits, such as the UN Climate Action Summit, COP25, and UN climate talks, are taking place to discuss solutions to climate change and what individual countries can do about it. What comes to mind are the Nationally Determined Contributions, which contain countries’ pledges to the Paris Agreement, and the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), a mechanism that integrates climate risks into national plans and budgets.
The urban heat island effect, which causes higher temperatures and humidity in building-dense areas, can be deadly. Climate change will exacerbate this occurrence, resulting in more health problems and even deaths if not mitigated.
Some climate adaptation solutions to rising temperatures
There are ways to adapt to higher temperatures, according to the conversation article, “Adapting cities to a hotter world: 3 essential reads.
1. Offer many cooling options
In addition to emergency cooling centres, cities should plant more trees, install window shades in buildings, use light-coloured materials and paints to reflect heat back and have emergency kits in case of power outages. We should not look for a single best option; we need multiple solutions to tackle the problem.
The National Weather Service has this list of reminders during extreme heat:
- Find air conditioning
- Avoid strenuous activities
- Wear light clothing
- Check on family members and neighbours
- Drink plenty of water
- Watch for exhaustion and heat strokes
- Never leave people or pets in a closed car
2. Focus on Vulnerable neighbourhoods
Implementation of green infrastructure. According to Wikipedia, green infrastructure, or blue-green infrastructure, is a “network providing the “ingredients” for solving urban and climatic challenges by building with nature.”
Using the natural water cycles and functions of the ecosystem particularly to manage and “treat storm-water at its source while delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits.”
Green infrastructures can be applied by building green roofs covered with drought-resistant plants for cooling effects, which would be most helpful in poor neighbourhoods with high temperatures.
Vegetation around them can have a cooling effect and reduce their use of air conditioning. Using white paint on their roofs can reflect the heat back and lower the temperature as well.
3. Design streets for changing climate with a focus on pedestrians, not on drivers, by “designing green streets for bicyclists, pedestrians, bus riders, and residents and as well as for drivers.”
Trees and bushes can both protect cyclists and pedestrians from main roads or highways and absorb carbon emissions from cars and carbon-spewing vehicles.
The article says pedestrian and cycle lanes can also encourage people to walk or cycle to work, thus reducing the number of cars on the road and lessening their exposure to air pollution.
May these climate adaptation solutions equip you to adjust to and survive hot climates. If you have suggestions, please share them with us by posting them in the comment form at the bottom of this post.