Get ready for wet bulb temperatures aka when it’s ‘too hot to live’
Before we start, I want to ask for your help with anything I’ve missed and let me know if I got anything wrong. I never claim to have all the answers and there are deep layers of expertise around many of the topics discussed and linked to in this article — so, I want to be sure I’m presenting it correctly. My motivation for writing this is because I faced extreme heat personally in recent months, which left me extremely alarmed. One thing became very clear — we are not ready for it and people are already dying.
Scientists are expecting a continued increase in global temperatures over the long term, which will most severely impact those living in the hottest countries in the world today, especially the poorest who are front and centre in my mind and heart as I put this together. The biggest emphasis of this content is for developing countries in the Global South — a term generally used to identify countries and the regions of Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, which is where most of humanity resides, but it applies wherever wet bulb temperatures hit.
Having lived, travelled, and worked in this region for three decades, witnessing how people live and how life works, I am putting myself in their shoes and working out the best possible options we have at our disposal and how we can make it happen fast. This is just a beginning.
Reach out to me
- If you have any thoughts or additions, I am open to your feedback
- If you are up for translating this into your local language, I would be happy to partner with you on this. We need to get this message out, especially to the most vulnerable. I am also working on shorter visual summaries of key tips, which can be translated as well
To help you go deeper, throughout this article and at the end, you’ll find links to further information to help you understand the situation in more detail.
Introduction
Asia recorded its worst-ever April heat wave in 2023, with the heat continuing across the region in May. This is before El Niño starts, which will hit at some point in 2023, and when it does, global temperatures are expected to increase dramatically. How much world temperatures will increase is not yet known, and there is an active effort underway by scientists to understand what we are facing. At this stage, all indicators point towards heat we have never experienced before.
The biggest concern about El Niño is that it’s happening at the same time we have record temperatures in the oceans, which you can see in the chart below. There is a lot of discussion about when El Niño will actually start, but the simplest explanation is we will know it’s begun when a big burst of heat is released from the Pacific Ocean, a burst that will instantly increase global temperatures. This is the story that has the climate scientists very alarmed, as we have never been in this territory before — facing a Super El Niño combined with record heat in the oceans. We need to get ready.
Record ocean heat recorded in 2023
Check out Climateanalyzer.org
You can find additional data at the Maine Climate Office, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine.
Articles on ocean heating and why it matters
The ocean is hotter than ever: what happens next?
Oceans have been absorbing the world’s extra heat. But there’s a huge payback
Record Ocean Heating Spike May Herald Acceleration of Global Warming
Scientists Are Alarmed as Sea Surface Temperatures Hit Uncharted Territory
The Impact of Ocean Temperatures Hitting 40 Year High
An Ominous Heating Event Is Unfolding in the Oceans
Scientists Horrified As Sea Surface Temperatures Spike Off The Charts
Pollution cuts
Another aspect to our current situation, which does not get a lot of attention, is we have experienced additional warming in the last couple of years (estimated at .2C increase), which happened during La Niña, a typically cooler cycle. The reason for this warming is called termination shock (also referred to as climate shock) and it is due to less emissions during the global pandemic lockdowns.
One story is about the fact there were less ships on regular shipping routes in the Northern Hemisphere during the pandemic, and these routes are linked to a surge in temperatures above these ocean shipping lanes, because it was now devoid of ships.
With shipping pollution reductions, there were less sulphates in the air, and these sulphates have historically reflected the sun’s rays back into the atmosphere. Without sulphates, the heat was absorbed into the ocean, creating more warming.
It’s an interesting story. By cleaning our environment, we have essentially geoengineered an increase in global temperatures, and this has happened before the increase expected from the incoming Super El Niño. Here’s some more information on termination shock.
Just before I pressed publish on my article, this article appeared: Climate paradox: Emission cuts could ‘unmask’ deadly face of climate change, scientists warn.
“While cutting fossil fuel pollution is necessary for avoiding severe destruction over the long term — such cuts will make things noticeably worse in the short term.”
Pollution to save lives
The third element is, rising heat requires more fossil fuel use (especially in the Global South) to protect people from extreme temperatures, and that further exacerbates the problem and creates more warming. Throughout this article, alternative energy sources like solar and wind are suggested, but like all energy sources, there are limitations. It’s important to understand them.
If you want to appreciate the complexity of the energy transition in Asia, please read this article by Eco-business As Asian heatwaves require burning more fossil fuels, fears of a slower transition grow. It also lists out the challenges of alternatives, so there is no perfect recipe to deal with the heat, but we must prepare to protect ourselves regardless. We also need to wind down fossil fuel use as quickly as possible.
The risk of the “climate niche”
Finally, another recent piece of news is that global heating will drive billions of people out of the “climate niche,” a range of temperatures where humanity has flourished for millennia. This heat will expose us to unprecedented temperatures and extreme weather, and as we are on track for 2.7°C warming, it is also expected to cause ‘phenomenal’ human suffering.
The purple area in the map is where it will become too hot to live, and this is at 2.7°C warming. We need to do everything in our power to make sure we do not reach this level of warming.
I strongly recommend this article to understand the “Climate Niche” — Global heating will push billions outside ‘human climate niche’
A worldwide issue, the heat is on
In the Global South, this means an imminent threat is on the horizon, and regardless of whether you are rich or poor, once temperatures pass the wet bulb threshold, things will turn deadly. ‘Stay indoors’ orders have already been issued in countries like Thailand and Vietnam in 2023, with India, Pakistan and Bangladesh already experiencing wet bulb temperatures in 2022 and 2023. Iran suffered in 2022 as well.
In Thailand, March to May is traditionally the hottest time of the year before the Monsoon arrives. However, in 2023, the heat started building from February, and then it combined with haze conditions (the result of fires in the North of Thailand due to farmers slashing and burning), and this saw a period of intense heat, as the haze held the heat and pollution in. When the haze lifted, temperatures decreased slightly, which is a strong sign that we must rapidly transform farming practices to stop this pollution, especially at the hottest time of the year.
The expectation of more haze from Indonesia was covered in this article: After four wet years, complacency and El Niño risk Southeast Asia’s haze preparedness as fires choke northern nations.
We have to prioritize tackling the reasons behind any haze event, as it not only makes the region hotter and more polluted, it contributes to more emissions, and therefore more warming. We cannot afford to be complacent anymore.
It’s time to get ready for heat extremes
We are in a climate emergency. When it comes to dealing with wet bulb temperatures, our focus must be on securing agreements from all governments, to work together and do everything we can to prepare our communities for increased temperatures, this includes sharing best practises, resources and manpower when needed. The region will also need financing, and remember, any way we can keep people where they are is good for the world, so a worthy investment.
We must also put in place powerful action plans to tackle any fires before they start, or once they start and put them out quickly. With the return of the haze from Indonesia a guaranteed certainty (a killer with Particulate Matter of 2.5 common) we have to halt it in its tracks and manage the circumstances that create it.
We also need to recognize that it is time to ask ourselves — are we going to continue to wait until after the fact, or are we ready to get proactive? Because we must get ready, or millions will die — whether from heat, pollution or both.
To understand the link between climate change and pollution, I recommend this piece fromTime: Climate Change is Undermining U.S. Progress on Air Quality.
This is another compelling read, higher temperatures will make it harder to breath due to pollution: Breathing is going to get tougher
Adaptation is not happening; this puts us all at risk
Climate scientists have been telling us what to expect for decades, and most countries haven’t even done the minimal amount work required to put the infrastructure in place to deal with the extremes that have already happened, are happening, or will soon be happening.
Rather, countries are continually responding after-the-fact, and no country is looking 50+ years out — apart from Singapore and maybe Japan. Even then, with the escalation we have witnessed in the last couple of years, no country is ready for the cascading tipping points now knocking at our door.
When we look to the future, we must prioritize infrastructure investments based on the reality of what climate scientists are telling us will happen. This lack of preparedness should alarm us all because we are not living in a business-as-usual world, even if we keep trying to convince ourselves that we are.
To understand political inaction, here’s a great example and some commentary from the UK in 2022: In the UK, a committee of MPs and peers says the government needs to “get a grip” on the risk to critical infrastructure posed by a warming climate.
“The thing I find most disturbing is the lack of evidence that anyone in government is focusing on how all the impacts can come together, creating cascading crises,” said the chair of the Joint Committee, Dame Margaret Beckett MP.
“There are simply no ministers with focused responsibility for making sure that our infrastructure is resilient to extreme weather and other effects of climate change.”
I suggest we all listen very carefully to our political leaders following any extreme weather event, and I guarantee you, very few are speaking in an appropriate manner about the crisis. In fact, what is often the case is they will downplay, lie, or even blame another issue that is completely irrelevant.
A suggestion for Prime Ministers and Presidents
We are reviewing the entire nation’s infrastructure, from roads to dams, trains to homes, farms, energy, and more. We are going to work out what we need to do to keep our citizens safe for the next 50 years and beyond. We are doing this assessment based on the insights climate scientists are providing to us as advisers to our government, and our whole country must come together to do what we need to do to ensure we do not experience mass suffering. We have many challenges ahead, including relocating communities that can no longer stay where they are. This is going to be a difficult time for all of us, but our greatest chance of success is coming together and doing it together.
If the leaders in your country are not speaking this language, call it out — demand attention and commitment. Equally, if your leaders are speaking the language of division or “othering” minority groups who are not the problem, you must vote them out of power — division is a fast-track to failure at this point for humanity.
Authoritarian and narcissistic leaders are guaranteed to fail spectacularly in the fight for our climate, no matter what they promise, because they are incapable of solving such a complex challenge. The qualities of these leaders will guarantee greater suffering for everyone and there will be no winners, so do yourself a favour and do not believe the ‘strong man’ rhetoric. Community is the only way — all of us coming together to do what we need to do.
However, regardless of who leads us, it is time for us to prepare with or without them, and we have no time to lose. What is happening in the environment is going to get worse — of that, there is no question — and if we continue to refuse to stop what’s causing it — growing emissions, agricultural practises, pollution, forever chemicals, deforestation, plastic waste, etc… — it will never get better.
The most important thing is we must accept that it will get worse regardless of what we do, and it is time to focus on preparing for what that means, which in turn requires adaptation at speed and scale, right across the world.
The scientists have been telling us the doorway for action is closing rapidly and it is time to act in every way we can. Protest, join an environment group, speak up, change behaviours, inspire others to change, consume less, rewild where you live, and let’s all commit to living in harmony with our beautiful earth.
If we get the message, what we co-create together will mean a better life for all, but it will be very different to what we know today. We need to get our minds around what needs to change, and we need to envision and embrace a simpler future.
SIDEBAR: Read this As Alberta burns, we need a political vision to extinguish the flames — this article really sums up the politicisation and conspiracy theories around the fires in Alberta, Canada. It’s hard to believe this is still happening and it’s just delaying real action.
What can we do to prepare for un-liveable heat?
We are going to cover a lot in this article, so let’s break it out into a few critical sections and dig in, starting with the biggest priority — us. Please, don’t wait for this to be done for you. That will not happen in time. The action here, at the scale required, needs to be community-led wherever possible, so this is a call asking you to be that leader for your community, and your job is to bring everyone together and start getting to work, remembering to take care of those most at risk and vulnerable.
The actions detailed here cover three areas
- Us and what we can do
- Community, how we can work together and why it’s so important
- Institutional and business — time to lobby and demand change
We need to get in the driver’s seat here, in every way we can.
Us and what we can do
The most important part, as always, is educating ourselves! With extreme heat, the most important job is to understand what wet bulb temperatures are and when it puts us at risk.
Here is a scientific explanation of wet bulb temperatures, a Guardian article, and Wikipedia’s version.
Watch: Too HOT and HUMID to Live: Extreme Wet Bulb Events Are on the Rise
From the Guardian article: The “threshold” or “critical” wet bulb temperature for humans, [is] the point at which a healthy person could survive for only six hours [in shade]. This is usually considered to be 35C, approximately equivalent to an air temperature of 40C with a relative humidity of 75%.
From Wikipedia: Even heat-adapted people cannot carry out normal outdoor activities past a wet-bulb temperature of 32 °C (90 °F), equivalent to a heat index of 55 °C (130 °F).
There are a few contradictions in the information available, however, if you read across the spectrum of literature on wet bulb temperatures, 31–35°C actual temperatures combined with a heat index between 45–55°C is when it appears we hit wet bulb.
The key part of understanding wet bulb temperatures is it’s a measurement of how much humidity is in the air combined with actual temperatures. As an example, Singapore has lower temperatures than its tropical neighbours, but very high humidity or moisture in the air, so wet bulb temperatures could be lower due to this high level of moisture.
A couple of countries North of Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, both issued “don’t go outside” orders when the heat index was in the mid-50s. It’s important to know when it’s dangerous based on where you are, and that is not consistent, because our environments are variable.
Check out the Wet Bulb Temperature Calculator.
And here is a short video from World Economic Forum discussing wet bulb temperatures.
The critical piece is understanding what dangerous temperatures look like where you live. It’s also important to be aware of changes, as for every .1°C degree of warming, there is 7% more moisture in the air, and that is the deadly part, which is why we must pay attention — especially if we live in humid countries.
The Global South is now in this territory, so we must learn what it means and how to protect ourselves. If you are in a place where these temperatures are already happening, please encourage your media, the government, and relevant businesses to start putting this information front and centre, because everyone needs to know and understand what it means.
Also remember, from now on, every year, these wet bulb temperatures will impact us more, it will get hotter and last longer. That is why it’s critical we start adaptation plans now and get prepared. Please don’t be complacent because you survived it this time around. It will continue to get worse, and the impacts will get bigger every year.
Further recent news on Asia experiencing wet bulb temperatures in 2023 — Thailand issues ‘don’t go out’ warning as heat index hits record 54C
And for Vietnam and Laos: Vietnam and Laos record hottest temperatures ever as heatwave grips Southeast Asia. Pay attention to this news.
If you look at your weather apps, you will see weather reported as actual temperature, as well as with a heat index, which is what the temperature ‘feels like’ or the ‘real feel’ when combined with humidity.
This is still relatively new knowledge for most people, which means there continues to be confusion about when these temperatures matter. The graph above shows wet bulb temperatures tested on healthy young adults in a controlled environment.
The conclusion: “Our studies on young healthy men and women show that this upper environmental limit is even lower than the theorized 35C. It’s more like a wet-bulb temperature of 31C (88F). That would equal 31C at 100% humidity or 38C (100F) at 60% humidity.”
In Journals of Applied Physiology, it states that the 35°C wet bulb is already too high: “In controlled experiments, critical wet-bulb temperatures ranged from 25°C to 28°C in hot-dry environments and from 30°C to 31°C in warm-humid environments. Sherwood and Huber reasoning was contingent on the assumption of a maximum of 35°C to allow for heat to be moved away from the core of the body, which is typically within a half-degree of 37°C. However, our data suggest that typically exceeds 35°C after a short duration in ambient thermal environments above 36°C, even at very low metabolic rates, with the effect being more pronounced in hot-dry conditions.”
The point is, wet bulb temperatures are here, the life-threatening temperatures might be lower than historical claims suggest, dry environments and humid environments are different, so know when you are at risk and take it seriously.
When the humidity is too high, we lose the ability to sweat and risk dangerous overheating — essentially, we cook from the inside out. Even if you are young, fit, and sitting in the shade with plenty of water, you cannot protect yourself from wet bulb temperatures if you are exposed for too long — which is estimated at six hours. That is why it’s so critical we all understand what wet bulb temperatures are.
So please, read this information, research your own, and share anything you learn with your community. It might save lives.
Understanding the impacts of heat stroke
According to Business Insider, there are three stages, which I’ve summarized below:
- Stage one is dehydration. As you start to overheat, you lose fluids and electrolytes and might start feeling unwell. Signs are feeling weak, tired, and thirsty, as well as sweating and cramping. Action required, get out of the heat, drink water and electrolytes (stock up on electrolyte powders next time you’re out shopping)!
- Stage two is heat exhaustion. The symptoms are overheating (heat exhaustion) include headache, fever, dizziness, fainting, shallow breathing, increased thirst, muscle aches, and nausea. You can also appear pale and clammy, and your heart rate could be elevated because your body is working hard to cool down. Action: If you are high-risk, medical intervention might be necessary, otherwise get to a cool place quickly.
- Stage three is heat stroke. This is when your body loses its ability to cool itself. At this point, our core body temperature can keep rising to dangerous levels, but our body has no “internal mechanism” to stop it. Symptoms of this stage include confusion, lack of sweat, reddened, dry skin, and organ failure. Action: This stage requires immediate medical attention as minutes start to matter.
The biggest challenge with wet bulb deaths is they are often recorded as different causes — organ failure, heart attack, and so on… So, while deaths associated with heat are being reported, the true scale will not be known until we look at excess deaths in the future, or we may never know the true number. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the heat index and act in accordance with national meteorological advice.
Dry Heat vs. Humid Heat — How Do They Affect Me?
Yikes, what can we do?
How do we cool down? How can we protect the poorest and most vulnerable among us? Will we be able to survive? What about animals, especially wildlife?
Take it seriously
The first job is to take heat seriously. The highest temperatures of the day are usually between 11am-3pm, but if the temperatures move into the record books, be more cautious than usual. It’s also important to wear natural light fibres, don’t get sunburnt, stay in the shade whenever you can, drink lots of water and electrolytes, avoid anything that dehydrates you (alcohol, coffee) and pay attention to how you’re feeling. It’s also harder to sleep in heat extremes, which has an impact too.
Don’t forget to check in on your family and community, especially anyone living alone, the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and pregnant women.
If temperatures move into the wet bulb range, find the coolest place you can for yourself and your family. If you have not already done so, now is a good time to download an effective weather app on your phone, and when it gets hot, pay attention to the heat index or ‘real feel.’ If you live in a town or community, create a screen or noticeboard with this information so everyone is aware. This is very important for millions of people without access to phones or technology — a big issue in the Global South.
Heat-Related Illness — What to do if someone is suffering from heat stroke?
Practical tips and ideas
Let’s move into some practical things we can do — some do not cost much, while others are more expensive and extensive. We must work together to invest time and effort as communities, especially in the poorer areas across the developing world, which could have a very significant positive impact.
It’s very important to have cheaper solutions, as most countries facing these extreme temperatures are not wealthy countries. Even in wealthy countries, the lowest-income earners will struggle to invest in appropriate and necessary solutions.
However, many workers’ camps, refugee camps, slums, and homes across the Global South have tin roofs or inadequate housing, which will be deadly in wet bulb temperatures because these homes will absorb the heat. It will be impossible to survive extreme heat in poor housing, especially with so few having air-conditioners, and if we do not prepare, we should be ready for mass deaths as wet bulb temperatures become the norm.
Side note: if we all install air conditioners, especially cheaper ones, we’ll be making the situation worse: A Billion New Air Conditioners Will Save Lives But Cook the Planet. The businesses profiting off this boom need to take stock, remove cheaper polluting units, replace it with sustainable solutions, or otherwise it’s just another industry profiting from environmental destruction.
Paint it white
Before we address the more complicated solutions, a simple one is to paint our roofs white. While we might not all be able to get access to the world’s whitest paint (which reflects 98.1% of light and could help in the climate fight, a paint so powerful, it could eliminate the need for air-conditioning), we must buy the most reflective white paint possible and get to work, painting roofs everywhere.
This is a simple action we can do quickly, and we must look to buy this for those not able to afford it. In poorer communities, where they often dilute paint to make it go further, it is important they know to lay it on thick.
Roofs that can be painted include metal, concrete, clay or terracotta tiles, whether flat or pitched. All can be painted directly, except for tiles, which need primer.
For the construction industry and any businesses with worker camps they are responsible for, this is a must-do action to put in place as quickly as possible. Look at shading and trees for these communities too.
A recent photo I took in Asia of the sort of homes that will provide no escape from wet bulb temperatures.
Make it green
Another opportunity is growing plants on our roofs, although in the tropics, it could attract snakes, rats and more — which is why white roofs might be a better option. The other issue with green roofs is the structural integrity of buildings, because it can weigh too much for simple structures, with water overloading an issue too.
However, according to the World Economic Forum, urban greening is a big opportunity and includes things like living walls, roofs and green corridors. This is an important focus because when water vapour is released by plants during photosynthesis, it helps to cool the environment.
So, if you’re not already doing it, it’s time to green up our environments everywhere, and thankfully, in the tropics, it grows fast!
While we might not see instant relief until the green growth reaches maturity, with temperatures expected to get hotter over the coming weeks, months and years, it is time to ensure all inhabited areas have trees and green coverage. Shaded surfaces are 11–25°C cooler in peak temperatures than areas with no trees.
Hot tip: a super-fast-growing plant is bamboo, and as this is now urgent, planting bamboo could be a quick solution with a big impact. It makes great walls too.
However, please don’t just focus on yourself. If you have wealth and trees where you live (anywhere in the world), please invest in planting trees in poorer neighbourhoods near you because these neighbourhoods often have few or no trees. The difference in temperatures between those with mature trees and those without is significant at 10°C.
I encourage you to read this great piece: ‘Urban heat is a huge challenge — India has a history of mitigations, like city trees’
16 Spectacular Green Roofs Around the World
A final quick point, businesses in the green roof business often make it look difficult, but it can be simple. Just make sure the structure is strong enough to hold it.
Close curtains, install film on windows, insulation
In much of the Global South, especially in wealthier homes, large windows are a feature, and while it makes for beautiful views, when the heat index starts moving past 50°C, keep your curtains closed and try not to let the intense heat in. If you haven’t got curtains, it might be time to invest in the highest quality you can afford or place sun-resistant film on your windows to reduce the heat impact in your home.
If you haven’t already, make sure you have appropriate insultation to keep it cool inside and to stop the heat from getting in. It also ensures the air-conditioning is more efficient, or if you paint your roof white, it helps it do the job better.
Stock up on water
In many countries, if the power grid goes down, so does access to water. With temperatures expected to rise, it is time to stockpile enough water for your family for at least a week, if not longer. This is a critical piece in the challenge ahead of us, so don’t act after the fact, because by that time, the shelves will be empty, as everyone will be rushing to buy water at the same time.
This story is not climate-related, it is about war, but a very powerful article on the fight for water when you do not have access to it — Sudan conflict: ‘I’m drinking water from the River Nile’.
Another water challenge is having containers of water that can be used to cool down the body. If we can’t run our taps, having water supplies ready could be a lifesaver. One of the best ways to cool down is to soak towels in water and cover yourself with a wet towel. Make sure you have water supplies to be able to do this.
Tools requiring no power
Whether it’s handheld fans, lights, or any device that can help you stay cool, this is a great time to think about what you need when the power goes out and what could help you survive. To start with, we may only experience a few days of this heat, but as the earth warms, we will experience longer and more devastating heatwaves. What can get you through? Battery-powered fans? Hand crank generators for charging phones, and other necessary devices? This is a good time to reflect on what is necessary so that you can get prepared.
There are a lot of solutions available on sites like Lazada and Amazon, so do some research and remember to share your solutions on social media, so you can help your community prepare.
My husband bought me this neck air conditioner — great when walking in the heat. Brand Torras.
Be mosquito smart
A threat of the looming El Niño is an increase in infectious diseases from mosquitos, specifically dengue and malaria. While we can keep our home environments clear of pools of water, where mosquito larvae are commonly found, we may not be able to control the larger environment. Therefore, is it time to invest in mosquito nets and other solutions? As this is a bigger societal issue, we need to ask what more our governments can do to protect its citizens from infectious diseases. Bring it up with your leaders and vote for action.
Read this article for more on this threat: How a looming El Niño could fuel the spread of infectious disease. Another part of this story to pay attention to.
Dengue fever cases to rise next month
Plant a garden
One impact of higher temperatures is crop loss, which is a growing concern around the world due to all forms of extreme weather. As an example, rice production is down in major markets across the world, and when temperatures pass 35C (which has already happened this year), rice crops start to fail, which means less produce making it to market — pushing up prices, and potentially leading to famine.
There is not much we can do, however, if you have not already started, please plant a garden, and encourage your neighbours to do the same. It could save your life and with so much unpredictability, especially in our food supply chain — which is getting worse and will continue to get worse — any way we can be independent in the coming years will help us and our families survive.
Rising global temperatures point to future widespread droughts
Flash Droughts more frequent, not enough rice to feed Asia, Spanish farmers warn of crop failure.
Extreme rainfall is taking a toll on China’s rice crops, and it could get much worse
El Niño costs trillions in lost economic growth, study shows
Vietnam To Cut Annual Rice Exports By 44% By 2030
Rice and corn stocks down in February
Community, how we can work together and why it’s so important
The biggest opportunity we have, to make it through the challenging years ahead, is to come together as communities and take care of each other. If everyone followed the mantra: we will leave no one behind — we can achieve amazing results. Selfishness, separation, and walls will only make these years more challenging and desperate for everyone. This is a time for community to shine, so let’s do it. It’s our best chance to make it through.
Let’s look at some community initiatives we could drive.
Cool it down outdoors
We need to consider cooling options that do not rely on electricity, because cooling without power is much better for the environment, especially as many of the countries in the Global South are powered by coal — the dirtiest fossil fuel. This is one of the examples where the wealthiest countries will benefit if it focuses on helping developing countries move away from coal rapidly. If India, with the largest population on earth, continues to use and grow on energy derived from coal, the run-away impact of increasing emissions will be devastating globally. We must help these countries transition.
But it is also about investing in solutions that work without power. One of the biggest challenges of extreme heat is, once temperatures pass 50°C, power grids start to fail due to the extreme temperatures and too much demand.
Two examples of outdoor cooling solutions I’ve found that do not run on energy are the Yankodesign Adiabatic Urban Cooling bamboo tower and CoolAnt’s Beehive, which is made of terracotta. These solutions release no emissions and typically run on air and water.
Photo credit: from both company websites Yankodesign and CoolAnt
Solutions like this need to be set up in worker camps, Indigenous villages, refugee camps, slums, markets, at festivals, religious events, and so on, as well as the main areas where citizens and tourists gather.
Another option is industrial-scale water mist fans, which could be vital in cooling the skin in wet bulb temperatures. However, to ensure success, we would need to look at running these fans off independent solar panels to ensure they don’t go down when the grid goes down. It’s a bigger investment, but it could save many lives.
Communal cooling stations
For the hundreds of millions of people who have no escape from the heat, we need to establish cooling stations everywhere. For cities, this could be focused on making sure existing infrastructure — like shopping malls, schools, or places of worship — are destinations where people can go when the temperature outside is too hot to live. This plan needs to be thought through, from setting up the space to providing water, food, and even places to sleep.
For those not in towns and cities, cooling stations need to be established so people have places to go in extreme heat events. In local villages and communities, it’s important to identify one or two places, large enough for everyone, as the local cooling station, and we must put extensive forethought into planning these spaces to ensure they are ready to receive the community when the temperatures require it — which in many parts of the world is now. This can be a community-led action, and remember to apply for government funding to help pay for it.
The important point here is, wherever people live, there needs to be a cooling station accessible within a short timeframe. If people need to travel too far, they could die trying to get there.
Don’t forget our animal friends
If we want to be humane and smart about our future, we can’t forget animals and wildlife. From our pets to farm animals, can we keep them safe, ensuring they survive these temperatures?
These cows will struggle to survive in wet bulb temperatures with just a tin roof
More importantly and definitely more of a challenge — what about wild animals? Can we set up spaces for birds and other wildlife, with access to water, food and shade? Should we be thinking about mini-ark-like structures to protect wildlife in our countries/regions to give them a fighting chance?
This is a critical piece to factor in, because if we do not take care of our wildlife, biodiversity loss and extinction will follow, ensuring we will never be able to overcome the challenges we are facing. We must recognise the survival of these ecosystems are critical for human survival too.
So, how we protect wild animals at this stage requires deep reflection, planning and preparation to give us AND our non-human neighbours a chance at survival. How can we prepare for this? Can we plan to save enough mammals, amphibians, insects, plants, etc… so we have a chance of stopping anything else going extinct on our watch?
Independent energy investments
When the temperature gets too hot, high demand, as well as excessive heat, will see power grids fail. It’s already happening. To address this, for those who can afford it, it is time to set up solar or wind energy for your property so that you can be independent of the grid, but also because we need to reduce demand on the grid wherever possible too.
For communities, where it is not affordable for individuals to make the investment in solar or wind energy, come together and agree where you should set up independent energy sources and aircon units, ensuring there is enough to support everyone in the community. This will provide the whole community with a place to cool down, and it could save lives.
If communities can fund this together, there is a greater chance of having it ready to go when higher temperatures hit. This is not an area to delay. Those temperatures have already arrived across much of the Global South in 2023. If you have wealth, help your community make this investment.
Please note solar panels can keep working up to 65°C (149°F), when it becomes too hot for solar power. Thankfully we’re a long way from those temperatures, but this durability in heat extremes makes it a good solution for independent energy sources right now.
Sports, festivals, play, schools
It is important to be aware when your country is experiencing wet bulb temperatures and if so, do not go outside for any extended time. Pay attention to government advice when they say do not go outdoors and do not do any strenuous exercise in this heat.
For political rallies, religious ceremonies, or even large-scale sporting events, if the wet bulb temperature has been exceeded, it is in the interest of the organizers to either cancel these events or, where possible, move them indoors to an air-conditioned venue.
Schools also need to be aware of wet bulb temperatures and make sure students are not out in this heat for extended periods of time. Classrooms in the affected regions must prioritize installing air conditioning, if possible, as well as independent energy sources (like solar) to keep the students safe.
A great focus for school communities, especially in wealthier areas, is to bring the whole community together to invest in solar energy for the school. If wealthier areas can pay for this, governments can invest in solar energy for poorer school districts. Setting up school communities for success is important to keep our children alive and flourishing, but it could also be a back-up cooling station for families who are not equipped to deal with the heat at home.
Painting roofs white, green roofs, outdoor cooling devices, trees and shade, etc… are all important focus areas for civic and institutional buildings.
Please pay attention to extreme heat if you are organizing any outdoor activity, because ignoring wet bulb temperatures puts lives at risk. If you want to survive, learn what you need to do and make sure you share this with your family and the wider community.
Some recent instances of wet bulb deaths
‘Man-made disaster’: Could the 13 heatstroke deaths at Maharashtra state event have been prevented?
13 people die of heatstroke in India after attending government award ceremony
Thai politician Chonsawat Asavahame dies of heatstroke in Buri Ram
Thai man found dead in front of coffin shop due to extreme heat
Heat Wave In Malaysia Claims Another Child
Embrace traditional cooling architecture
You might not be building a house, but for all accommodation, we need to rethink how we build for the future we have coming, and this includes preparing mass accommodation options (e.g: for climate refugees) — which should be a priority if we plan to approach this humanely. We also need to embrace techniques of the past and repair what we have broken.
This WEF article discusses traditional ideas that have been lost to ‘progress’: In the Persian Gulf, a study has found traditional architecture, including narrow alleyways that maximise shadows, internal courtyards, and moisture-absorbing, reflective building materials like limestone can help to cool urban areas. Cape Town and Buenos Aires are putting in place light-coloured and other cooling roofs on public housing.
An example in the Asia region and a feature of the West Coast of Southeast Asia is Peranakan architecture, which was designed to cool and keep air circulating before electricity and air-conditioning was invented! The challenge is, when you visit these areas today, many of their features have been altered, such as the arches between buildings and shops are now blocked and covered over. This means less air circulation. We need to reverse this, and it’s a relatively simple job.
To survive the years ahead, it will be important to look back at ancient cooling techniques from across the world, which require no energy and are cost-effective, especially if the focus is on air circulation and cooling. We will need to get creative, learn from the past, and work out appropriate, cost-efficient and energy efficient solutions that can scale rapidly.
We also need to look at installing shade in public areas everywhere. Trees and plants are critical too.
Here are some references for ancient cooling techniques
Off-Grid AC: 9 Forgotten Ways The Ancient Romans (And Everyone Else) Stayed Cool
The ancient Persian way to keep cool
Cooling by nature: Lessons from history
Dubai’s Wind Towers Are the City’s Traditional and Beautiful Way To Beat the Heat
Everything, everywhere all at once
While we all urgently need to get prepared for extreme heat, at the same time, we must address the destruction of the natural world, and that requires investing our energy and investments into turning around the destruction we have caused, which is making the climate emergency worse and the reason we are dealing with this extreme weather.
The head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, recently said: we need everything, everywhere all at once, so it is time for our communities to come together everywhere and work out how to replenish and rewild the land we call home. Clean it up, bring it back to life, stop the human sprawl, limit developments not in alignment with nature, etc… all while preparing for hotter and hotter temperatures at the same time.
We must address the reasons for the hotter temperatures, however, even if we do all we can, we must accept it will continue to get hotter and last longer. More so if the rest of the world continues with business as usual.
By the time we cross 1.5°C warming (which we could experience with the next Super El Niño, but it won’t be embedded yet), countries on or near the equator will have to act fast. If the warming continues beyond 2C, we will start to see decisions being made to abandon towns, cities and countries, as it will become impossible to survive in this heat, which is why it’s so important to act now. Of course, there are other impacts at this level of warming, such as sea level rise, crop failures and more.
A few points
- It is critical we act everywhere, and it’s time to get to work to see if we can partner with nature to lessen the impact of the escalating climate emergency. In parallel, to deal with wet bulb temperatures, let’s rewild our environments as quickly as possible.
- If we’re on the ocean, we need to work out the best techniques that will contribute to emission reductions and other benefits, such as seagrass meadows, mangroves, oysters, repopulating important species and so on.
- On the land, it’s trees, plants, animals and more. Let’s ask our village elders or local Indigenous communities for guidance on returning our communities to nature everywhere, and we should look back at least 50 years for inspiration.
- Let’s clean up the waste and work out how to ensure a clean environment (banning ALL single-use plastics, setting up effective waste collection, composting, etc…). Plastic waste also blocks drains and increases flood risk, so there’s a huge benefit to cleaning up our environments.
- Across the Global South, the waterways and lands are covered in trash, and this waste is not just domestic, as Western countries have been shipping waste to this region for decades. That practice must stop, it’s waste colonialism.
- The never-ending build-up of all waste, as well as over-development, poor planning, etc… mean water supplies across the world, but especially in the Global South, are polluted and undrinkable. More alarming, in a world rapidly heading towards water shortages, prioritizing cleaning and reinvigorating the waterways must be a priority for all countries.
Without clean water, there can be no life.
How restoring key wildlife species can be a game-changing climate solution
Rewilding animals could be key for climate: Report
Protecting wildlife is key to sustaining planetary health, Yale study finds
Can Elephants Save the Planet? These Majestic Animals Are Key to Capturing Atmospheric Carbon
Institutional and business — lobby and demand change
We often feel powerless in the fight for our future, but WE vote for government, WE spend our hard-earned money to make businesses profitable, and it is OUR attention that makes money for the media. As a collective, we can drive all three to change, WE just need to start understanding our power and WE need to start using it. Speak up, demand change, call it out, don’t support businesses not aligned to nature, make them accountable, and let’s protect our fellow humans and non-humans.
Rethinking outdoor work (and leisure)
The vast majority of people that will be impacted by intense wet bulb temperatures are outdoor workers, and these are typically the people responsible for feeding, building and entertaining the world. We need to rethink hours of work to ensure they escape the heat, as well as plan for cooler places they can go when temperatures are too high. It’s critical the owners of businesses are made responsible for ensuring the safety of workers — which is not something that happens everywhere, especially when the workers are foreign or undocumented migrants.
The sort of outdoor work to consider:
- Agriculture, farming
- All construction
- Transportation, especially if motorbikes are the primary vehicle (Grab drivers) and tourism vehicles, like Tuk-Tuks
- Outdoor markets — from fruit and vegetables, seafood, to clothes to tourism
- Gardeners and outdoor domestic workers
- Hospitality employees with primary roles outdoors, including restaurant staff
- Tourism sector, such as golf caddies, diving instructors, water sports, touts and more
- Emergency service workers
It might seem inappropriate to mention tourism, however, this is important income for local economies, so it must be thought through as well. From educating tourists on how to take care of themselves in the heat to shifting how we partake in leisure; it is time to think through the entire impacts wet bulb temperatures will have on workers in our communities. A simple example is setting up golf courses for night play with floodlights — something that has been happening for years in Asia Pacific and has a tangible ROI for golf clubs.
This is happening in India right now ‘In a hot oven’: India heatwaves take a toll on most vulnerable
What Is Heat Stroke And How Do You Treat It
Infrastructure meltdown
Whether it’s the electricity supply, telecommunications, or even the roads, at some point, it will get hot enough for critical infrastructure to stop working or breakdown, as it will simply melt in the heat. We know it is going to happen, as India has already experienced this in recent years, so being prepared for any eventuality is critical. We need the experts in these areas to discuss the issues and risks, so we can understand what that threshold is. For each country, we also need to listen to the climatologists and meteorologists, who will help us understand how hot the temperatures will get.
Are we at risk of it now? When El Niño kicks in? In 2024? Later? Whatever the answer, we must move fast to ensure we are ready. This is a critical adaptation measure the entire Global South must focus on.
A huge challenge in the developing world is most of the electrical infrastructure is still above ground because it is significantly cheaper than installing it under ground. This means it is at higher risk of shutting down due to the heat or getting damaged (storms, etc..), so another important measure will be investing in the infrastructure to ensure it is suitable for higher temperatures and other weather extremes. This is an expensive nationwide need across all developing countries in the Global South and work needs to start now.
To give you an indication of when it’s hot enough for roads to start melting, that temperature, according to this article, is 50°C — which seems a threshold temperature for a lot of infrastructure breakdown issues: “Tarmac is a viscoelastic material, meaning it can change back to its liquid form in temperatures of 50C.”
It’s important to note that this temperature is different for every country, based on how infrastructure has been built. That means when asphalt melts differs by country, based on its technical practises, such as the use of additives. Do you know your country’s standards? Do you know at what temperature your roads will melt?
This is something we need to think about. When roads start to melt, we will not be able to leave our homes. If we can’t leave our homes, what does that mean — especially if considering food, water supplies, medical emergencies, and so on?
We must also consider the ability of emergency services personnel to get infrastructure working in the intense heat. At the peak of temperatures, will the emergency vehicles be able to drive — as overheating vehicles and melted roads could be an issue? And if they can get to the areas, what clothing will they require — such as cooling suits? We need to prepare for this now.
Car and motorbike parking shelter
The intense heat in 2023 has left cars and motorbikes cooking in the sun, and for those without air-conditioning in cars, not being able to park in shaded areas will become a major issue. You cannot cool a car down when it has been exposed to this level of heat; therefore, it is time to install parking shelters everywhere, which is not a general practice in the developing world.
It is also a great opportunity to learn and take inspiration from countries like France, which is installing solar panels on the roofs of all large carparks. For hospitals across the region, installing solar panels on car and motorbike shelters could provide energy for the hospital and the surrounding community, which is an added bonus.
Securing health services
By this point, I hope we are all in agreement that life-threatening heat is here, it’s going to get worse, and over the longer term, it will get hotter and the heat will last longer. Therefore, we must prepare everything in advance, and what is more important than healthcare services? How do we ensure it continues to run?
First up is establishing independent and sustainable energy supplies that are powerful enough to run whole facilities, such as hospitals and all emergency services providers. Most energy sources currently in use are electrical grids at risk of breaking down, with back-up generators running on fossil fuels. The question is — when does it get too hot to run a generator?
According to this article: At around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40°C), many diesel generators must be derated or operated at a lower output level than their rated maximum; in other words, you’ll have to back off on your load.
Equally, humidity is a risk with generators: humidity is the measure of water content in a given volume of air. In conditions of extreme humidity, water vapour in the air displaces oxygen. Low oxygen levels impair ignition since oxygen is the element in the air that is ignited in an engine for the burning of fuel.
So, if the heat and humidity in the environment exceeds the ability of the generators to run or be reliable, we need to understand what that is now and act quickly to replace it with more appropriate options for the future we have coming. Hospital administrators also need to ensure there is enough medication, food and water to get through any extended heatwave.
Hospital leaders and government officials — national and local — need to ask the question: “Will the current infrastructure work in the heat predicted by climate scientists?”
Another consideration is the number of people needing medical care — due to wet bulb temperatures — has the potential to explode. Equally, if people can’t travel to medical centres (car too hot to start, un-drivable roads) or they are too far away (minutes are precious when you move into stage three heat stroke), we need to plan how we deal with that, now.
So, let’s get ready and agree on how we set up local services, what equipment is required for emergencies, and how can we train local community members to deliver emergency medical care in situations where getting to hospitals or clinics isn’t possible.
If we want to get prepared, we need to
- Identify the number of communities in each country
- Nominate a person/people to be trained by medical professionals in heat stroke care and educate the community that this is where anyone suffering heat stroke should come
- Determine what equipment, medication is needed in each facility and start getting stockpiles in place and secured
- Install independent energy sources so these local facilities can be successful, no matter how hot it gets
- Set these facilities up now, in advance of when it’s needed
- Prepare “survival packs” with items like electrolytes, and distribute to citizens before the heat arrives
This is also a good time to invest in medical teams producing ‘how to’ videos in local language, about how to handle a wet bulb temperature emergency, and the signs to look out for.
Throughout this article, I have provided videos on dealing with wet bulb temperatures, especially heat stroke, but the amount of content is limited. We need to put more information out on “how to treat” people who have heat stroke, and it needs to be in every language spoken in the Global South.
How To Treat Heat Stroke, Signs & Symptoms — First Aid Training — St John Ambulance
The media
The media — whether local, national, regional or international, must start reporting on wet bulb temperatures and educate their readers about what it means. There is more content on heat stroke now, but it needs relentless reporting to increase awareness of risks, as well as guidance on what will happen as we move into this next El Niño, which is expected to see temperatures we have never seen before.
The media must step into this moment providing up-to-date, current information, predictions, and education on how to handle extreme heat, and it must prioritize this message. It is time to put wet bulb temperatures, with danger categories, on the front page of every media source.
Influencers can also take on the role of educating their audiences and contributing to this conversation.
Government
After the pandemic, many governments, especially in the Global South, are struggling to get their countries and economies back on track, so this is a huge ask on top of what has already been a very challenging time.
Regardless, we are here facing this time and governments must call their citizens together, unite them, and get to work so we can all make it through.
As we look ahead, governments need to speak honestly and openly to their citizens and residents about what is happening and have their words guided by the scientists in their countries.
We need all government leaders to set in place plans that are aligned with what the climate scientists are communicating, and we need to start acting now, not when we face the worst extremes. All over the world, the climate is putting leaders on the back foot, reacting after a disaster has already struck, and we need to start being ready in advance of what is coming.
Transparency is critical. This is a huge opportunity to rebuild trust across societies, a critical focus if we want to succeed. If our political leaders embrace this as an opportunity for openness and engagement with citizens, this could be very powerful, as citizens need to trust their leaders today more than ever.
Corruption is another area that must be addressed and tackled. If we do not tackle corruption, it will limit a country’s ability to succeed in the extremely challenging years ahead.
Equally, this is not just a local issue. Government leaders must work across borders for the good of the region and share best practices, help solve challenges that contribute to the crisis (like the haze), and rapidly reduce fossil fuels, especially coal, or it will keep getting worse. Just India alone accelerating its growth with coal as its core energy will guarantee run-away escalation globally.
Governments need to put in place national communication plans, set up the system for this communication to ensure it reaches everyone under their care, put in place a team to manage this and get prepared, before the next emergency strikes. National and local communication will be vital.
Business
Executive leadership teams must start to look at all possibilities and understand the impact on their businesses and not just their bottom line. Some examples:
- If you are a large global corporation, you might have thousands of employees impacted by this heat — how can you help them? How can you get them prepared? Can you help install solar or wind, so their families are safe during intense heat events?
- Is your supply chain safe, or will it buckle in the heat, as we saw in China in 2022? What is the impact of that? How can you prepare your business?
- If tourism is your business and heat waves are killing people, this is not going to attract tourists to your destination. How are you preparing for this heat, and what are you doing for your employees? How are you planning to communicate with your guests?
- More broadly, for outdoor sectors, such as agriculture, transportation and tourism, your businesses will be severely impacted by this situation on multiple levels — crop loss, drought, and temperatures too hot for your employees to work in. What can you do now to prepare? What infrastructure can you put in place? How can you change working hours to stay productive and keep your employees safe?
- For any business relying on migrant labour or undocumented labour, this is a time for humanity. Take care of your people. Get their home camps in order so they have a chance of surviving. Don’t make them work and live in wet bulb temperatures, or they will die. Secure their food and water supplies, install cooling stations and change the hours of work. Please, do not leave them to die, because unfortunately, this is already happening.
If we hope to overcome the challenges humanity faces with the climate emergency, compassion and empathy for all life on earth must be at the centre of how we act from now. We come together and overcome together, or we don’t survive. The choice is ours to make, and if we want to survive these challenging years, it’s time to recognise that all life is valuable.
Heat stroke
We need global cooperation to solve this
The wealthy countries around the world, who are responsible for the challenges the Global South are facing, MUST help these countries succeed. Without this help, the world will only get hotter, as coal use will escalate as countries deal with temperatures never seen in human history. Climate refugees will also be on the move because when it’s too hot to live and the water runs dry, what other choice do people have?
The wealthy countries and wealthy individuals must focus attention on helping the Global South succeed — with both adaptation support AND sustainable energy investment. If this does not happen, it will unleash higher temperatures and more misery, but it will not just impact this region — it will have a global impact.
The other reason we must do all we can is we need to focus all our efforts on keeping people where they are, which will give us a much better chance of being able to get through these challenging years. We have all the evidence we require to appreciate that the world is not kind and supportive of refugees, so let’s do what we need to do right now to stop people having to be on the move. Everyone wins when we focus on this.
Wherever you live, demand your leaders do their part in helping the Global South. It is vital for the people impacted, for global stability, and for world peace.
A time for compassion
To re-emphasize what I said above, one important consideration in the months and years ahead is treating every living being with compassion and dignity. There are many communities across this region — migrant workers, the undocumented and refugees — who are not provided with the same fundamental human rights as citizens.
We must address this, otherwise we will be shocked to learn that thousands, maybe even millions, will succumb to these temperatures in the not-to-distant future. The world is heating rapidly, we must get ready now.
Every person living in the Global South contributed minimally to the challenge the world faces as the climate emergency escalates, but all deserve the maximum amount of support to help them live through these challenging wet bulb temperatures.
Let’s make a commitment to leave no one behind and do all we can to take care of our neighbours. For those with wealth, invest in the infrastructure to prepare for wet bulb temperatures, but also spread the load (and the love) by donating to projects in your area to help the community prepare too. It is the only way we can succeed, especially in developing countries.
For all who have had the fortune to build wealth, we must recognize our personal responsibility and contribution to the global problem we face, and start investing our money in securing the future for those who did not have those same benefits but are facing the impacts first.
Conclusion
This is the first in my adaptation series, and I’ve started this because I am very alarmed at the lack of adaptation taking place all over the globe. We must start getting prepared urgently.
I hope what I’ve written helps you and your community get ready, in every way you can, for the extreme heat we will be experiencing for longer and longer periods. Unfortunately, regardless of what we do, we may never get this under control, but we can at least get prepared to live with these extreme temperatures, hoping the world comes to its senses and starts taking the drastic action necessary to reduce emissions, which are causing the heating and other extreme weather events.
As we move forward into these uncertain times, take care of you and yours. It is time to bring our communities together and work to overcome the challenges we all face, wherever we live. Do what you can with what you have and be prepared that no help is coming. Government action may ramp up over time, but are you willing to wait for that? We need to get ahead of this, so don’t wait for help. Get going and good luck.
Remember, the path out of despair and hopelessness is action. Let’s all get into action because that’s what the world needs to see now — ACTION! Lots and lots of action.
Cheers,
Andrea
Further reading
Here are some recent articles on El Niño and global warming
El Niño Threatens Unparalleled Heatwaves
World should prepare for El Niño, new record temperatures: UN
Rapidly developing El Niño set to boost global warming
Climate change can cause a collapse of life on earth, claim scientists
World should prepare for new heat records
This Is Our Civilization at 1.5 Degrees
Record levels of heat worldwide in next five years
Global warming set to break key 1.5C limit for first time
Global Warming in the Pipeline
Persistent effect of El Niño on global economic growth
What will El Niño mean for 2024?
What to watch for: El Niño likely to develop this summer
In hot water: here’s why ocean temperatures are the hottest on record
World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Niño returns
And here are some recent articles on the heatwaves occurring around the world
How to Prepare for a Hot Summer
Shanghai breaks more than century-old heat record in sweltering May
Prolonged, intense heat expected from June to October, raising risk of haze, fires in south Asean
Commentary: It’s time to cool down the heat as Singapore hits record-high temperature
Asia’s heatwave made 30 times more likely by climate change: study
April Mediterranean heatwave ‘almost impossible’ without climate crisis
Climate change: Vietnam records highest-ever temperature of 44.1C
Extreme heat, well into triple digits, smashes records in Asia
World should prepare for new heat records
This is how long the heat wave is expected to last on the West Coast
Unusually early heat wave in Pacific Northwest could break records
A significant heat wave from California to the Arctic Circle is set to shatter records.
Animals Are Dying in Droves. What Are They Telling Us?
‘Statistically impossible’ heat extremes are here — we identified the regions most at risk
Vietnam and Laos record hottest temperatures ever as heat wave grips Southeast Asia
Thailand issues ‘don’t go out’ warning as heat index hits record 54C
Thai authorities issue extreme heat warnings for dozens of provinces
Large swathes of Asia are sweltering through record breaking temperatures
‘Like none before:’ Deadly, record-smashing heat wave scorches Asia
India may tip this year to a wet-bulb temperatures threshold that will test human survival.
‘Hotter and hotter’: Swaths of Asia sweat in heat wave
Severe heatwave engulfs Asia causing deaths and forcing schools to close
Record heat waves in Asia affirm need for sport to address climate change
Record heatwave of up to 45 deg C scorches much of Asia, and it’s going to get worse
Record heat waves push India closer to limit of human survival
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Environment education
Four environment resources to help you navigate this challenging territory.
- Knowledge, constantly updating
- Individual action and awareness, so we do our part
- Resources for those struggling with eco-anxiety. Please share with your community.
- Finally, more than 100 mini-videos on many topics regarding the multiple crisis’ we face. Feel free to download and use as your own. No credit necessary.