Context:
Climate change is fueling more frequent and severe heat waves, leading to heightened wildfire risks, warns a report from the WMO.
| Heatwave Definition:
A heatwave, defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), is a period lasting at least five consecutive days during which the daily maximum temperature exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5°C (9°F) or more.
Heatwave Criteria in India:
- In India, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches a minimum of 40°C for Plains and 30°C for Hilly regions.
- For coastal regions, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature departure is at least 4.5°C from normal, provided the actual maximum temperature is 37°C or higher.
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WMO Report Highlights:
- Heatwaves Fuel Wildfires: Heatwaves in 2022 intensified wildfires in the United States and Europe, with added danger from desert dust, resulting in hazardous air quality.
- Rising GHG Emissions: Heatwaves contributed to increased carbon emissions, elevating greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.
- Desert Dust Surge: Unusually high desert dust intrusion hit the Mediterranean and Europe in August 2022, potentially harming air quality and ecosystems.
- Human Health Impact: Heatwaves deteriorate air quality, harming human health, ecosystems, agriculture, and daily life. Elevated ozone levels globally caused crop losses of 4.4% to 12.4%.
- Marine Heatwaves Surge: Climate change amplifies and prolongs marine heatwaves, causing ocean temperatures to significantly surpass normal averages, disrupting marine ecosystems and habitats.
Extreme Heat’s Implications
- Heat-Related Illnesses: Prolonged extreme heat can cause heatstroke and heat exhaustion, posing health risks like respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Ground Level Ozone: Forms due to chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in sunlight.
Major sources: Industrial facilities, electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, chemical solvents.Ground Level Ozone and its Effects On Human Health:
- Triggers health problems like chest pain, coughing, and throat irritation
- Aggravates bronchitis, emphysema, asthma.
- Reduces lung function and may permanently scar lung tissue
- Affects healthy people, particularly in hot weather.
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- Reduced Work Productivity: Heatwaves decrease productivity among exposed workers, impacting India’s economy.
- UNEP reports a 75% risk to India’s heat-exposed workforce.
- Crop and Livestock Vulnerability: Extended heatwaves adversely affect crop yields and livestock, especially in the presence of heat stress. For instance, ICAR’s 2022 report showed a 15-25% wheat yield reduction during a coinciding heatwave.
- Urban Heat Island Effect:Urban areas experience an “urban heat island effect,” with buildings and infrastructure storing and releasing heat. This causes urban temperatures to be 1-7 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than surrounding areas, day and night.
Way Forward:
- Heat Preparedness Strategies: Establish heat readiness plans for vulnerable populations, including cooling centers, and enforce workplace heat stress standards.
- Reduce Urban Heat Islands: Implement measures to reduce the urban heat island effect. These include installing cool and green roofs, promoting cool pavement, planting shade-providing trees, and encouraging evapotranspiration for air cooling.
- Enhancing Energy Efficiency: Promote energy-efficient practices to lessen electricity grid demand, especially during heatwaves.
- Improved Early Warning Systems (EWS): Early Warning Systems: To communicate heatwave threats, provide preventive guidance, and forecast disaster impact scenarios.
- Natural Disaster Designation: Officially classify heat waves as natural disasters, enabling regional heatwave action plans to be crafted by state and district administrations.
News Source: DTE
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September 9, 2023
