The world’s biggest capitals are heating up

The world’s biggest capitals are set to experience more extreme heat days, according to an analysis by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) released on June 28, a dangerous trend driven by sweltering temperatures across Asia amid a worsening climate crisis. The world’s 20 most populous cities, home to more than 300 million people, have seen a 52% increase in days above 35 degrees Celsius over the past three decades, CNN report

From Buenos Aires, Argentina to Paris, France and Cairo, Egypt, research finds that with each passing decade, as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions increase, major capitals face more and more hot days, threatening human health, economies and infrastructure.

“Climate change is not just a future threat but is happening and getting worse,” said IIED researcher Tucker Landesman. “In just one generation, the number of extreme heat days has increased at an alarming rate, affecting some of the world’s largest capitals. The situation is further exacerbated by the urban heat island effect, which occurs when cities Replacing natural land with roads and buildings retains more heat.”

Asian cities, home to about half of the world’s most populous capitals, have seen the biggest temperature increases. The trend has been evident in several recent heatwaves across the continent, from Southeast Asia to China and India. Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate risks due to its large population, poverty, and low-lying areas where flooding, rising sea levels, and other natural disasters are common.

New Delhi tops the list of hottest cities, recording 4,222 days above 35 degrees in the past three decades, more than any other city analyzed. From 2014 to 2023, 44% of days in the Indian capital reached that temperature threshold, compared to 35% in 1994 – 2003 and 37% in 2004 – 2013. At the end of May 2024, an area in New Zealand Delhi hit 49.9 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in the city’s history, putting pressure on India’s power grid and energy supply system. The heat stays all night, making it difficult for people to rest.

“We have lived in this neighborhood for 40 years, but we have never had a summer like this,” shared Kalyani Saha, a 60-year-old resident of Lajpat Nagar, South East Delhi. “We only get water once a day. It’s scorching hot. Unless you fill a bucket and let the water cool all day before using it, you won’t be able to bathe in it.” A rickshaw operator said he had fewer and fewer customers as people chose to take air-conditioned taxis instead of open-air vehicles.

Indonesia’s capital Jakarta has seen the sharpest increase in the number of days above 35°C in the past 30 years (from 28 days in 1994-2003 to 167 days in 2014-2023). Seoul, South Korea, and Beijing, China, have also seen a sharp increase in the number of extremely hot days. In 2018, Seoul had 21 days above 35°C, more than the previous 10 years combined. Beijing’s number of days above 35°C has increased by 309% since 1994.

Cities are also facing longer periods of high temperatures as governments fail to meet climate targets and cut emissions enough. In October 2023, Jakarta had 30 consecutive hot days above 35 degrees Celsius, more than the period between 1994 and 2003.

Extreme heat can be very dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations without access to cool spaces. From June 11 to June 19, New Delhi recorded 192 heat-related deaths among homeless people, a record compared to the same period in the past 5 years, according to a report from the Indian Health Development Center. Degree. Children, the elderly and pregnant women are at greater risk in heat. Additionally, hourly and informal workers may have to stop working or choose between staying home and having no income or working in dangerous conditions.

Heat waves also damage the economy, destroying crops, killing livestock, and reducing productivity, especially in places without air conditioning because workers need to pause more often to rest and drink water. Extreme heat stresses infrastructure, including highways, power grids, and railways, causing supply chain disruptions, power outages, and disease outbreaks. According to a 2022 study by Dartmouth College, extreme heat has cost the global economy trillions of dollars since the early 1990s, with poor countries bearing the brunt of the damage.