“Life on Earth can experience a dramatic climate change that may lead to the emergence of new species and the emergence of new ecosystems, but humans will not be able to cope with such global warming,” researchers were quoted by AFP as saying.
Scientists warn that a two-degree warmer compared to pre-industrial times puts 420 million people at risk of heat waves and that about 80 million people are at risk of starvation by 2050. Extremely high humidity and temperature can be dangerous for the human body.
The report highlights the so-called wet temperature (TW), the air temperature at 100 percent humidity that, if left permanently above 35°C, makes it impossible for the human body to function. In this regard, the areas most at risk are South and Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf, parts of the Gulf of Mexico and parts of Africa.
Studies show that the frequency of heat waves has doubled worldwide since 1979, and the report asserts that if average temperatures continue to rise, wet temperatures could regularly rise above 35°C at several points on the planet.
The effects of warming will also be felt by Europeans, with severe weather-related floods occurring on the continent several times by the end of the century.
Compared to the pre-industrial period, the average temperature on Earth has now increased by 1.1°C. The signatories to the Paris Climate Agreement, which was adopted in 2015, committed to keeping global average temperature rise well below 2°C but 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The World Meteorological Organization warned in January that average global temperatures could rise by as much as 3-5 degrees Celsius this century if urgent action is not taken to curb climate change.
According to a draft report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a warming of 3 degrees Celsius will triple the risk of weather-related deaths in Europe,
Especially in central and southern Europe compared to what the researchers expected at a warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
If the Earth’s average temperature rose by 1.5°C, 14 percent of the planet’s population would be exposed to extreme heat waves at least every five years.If it is 2 degrees Celsius, an additional 1.7 billion will be affected by the extreme heat wave. Those most at risk, the researchers wrote, are those who live in major tropical cities in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. The draft report, prepared by nearly 700 scientists around the world, will be unveiled at the United Nations climate conference scheduled for November.
Cover Photo: Getty Images
