Global Warming Continues to Climb: The Pressure of Heat Stress Rises Just as Quickly

Every year the days continue to get hotter and it’s becoming very noticeable and soon it will become unbearable. As time moves forward, the effects of global warming continue to only get worse. With CO2 levels rising with no sign of slowing down, global average temperatures will rise with it. First introduced in 1975 by Wally Broecker, it has been noted that average global temperatures have rapidly been increasing since the early 1900s. Eventually the temperatures will become more than simply uncomfortable and will reach hazardous levels.

Figure 1: History of global surface temperature since 1880. Source

According to this research published in the journal Environmental Research Letters by Li et al. the result of increasing temperatures will result in an increase in cases of heat stress. Worst case scenario It could affect more than 1.2 billion people annually by 2100. That is potentially 4 times the number of people affected by heat stress presently.“Every bit of global warming makes hot, humid days more frequent and intense. In New York City, for example, the hottest, most humid day in a typical year already occurs about 11 times more frequently than it would have in the 19th century,” said lead author Dawei Li

Heat stress is caused by the body’s inability to cool down properly through sweating. This can cause body temperatures to rise rapidly with high temperatures damaging the brain and other vital organs. Various forms of heat stress include (in order from mild to extreme conditions): heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Without emergency treatment, heatstroke can cause permanent disability or even death.

Figure 2: Projected changes in global average temperature under four emission pathways. Source

Annual exposure to extreme heat and humidity are projected to affect areas currently home to about 500 million people if the planet heats 1.5°C and nearly 800 million with 2°C. The planet has already warmed by about 1.2°C above late 19th century levels.

An estimated 1.2 billion people would be affected with 3°C of warming, as expected by the end of this century under current conditions.

-Adrian Emata