Kol endured extreme summer heat this year: Climate change report
Times of India | 18 September 2024
Kolkata: A new report by Climate Central has revealed alarming statistics on the impact of climate change, fueled by the burning of fossil fuels, on global temperatures this summer. Between June and Aug 2024, 2 billion people — nearly 25% of the global population — were exposed to over 30 days of extreme heat directly linked to human activity. This heat has had serious implications for global health, with experts warning of worsening conditions if swift action is not taken to curb carbon emissions.
The report highlighted that 72 countries, India being top on the list, experienced their hottest summer on record, while 180 cities across the Northern Hemisphere faced at least one extreme heatwave.India, in particular, experienced its second-hottest season since 1970, with over 426 million people enduring at least seven days of dangerous heat levels. In some regions, 112 million Indians faced a month of extreme heat that posed severe health risks.
Kolkata was among the cities hit hardest by this summer’s sweltering temperatures. April saw a peak of 43°C, nearly matching the city’s all-time high. June was marked by delayed monsoons, resulting in unusually hot conditions. Citizens faced a “pressure cooker” environment, with daytime humidity hovering around 90% and maximum temperatures reaching 37°C. Even at night, there was no relief, as the heat island effect prevents the city from cooling down after sunset.
Assessment Report 6 (AR 6) prepared by the IPCC, a UN body comprising nearly 3,000 scientists, had pointed out that Kolkata may experience a 4.5°C rise in annual mean temperature in 2081-2100 compared to the pre-industrial period (1850-1900) under the worst possible greenhouse gas emission scenario, while the city may experience a temperature of 35°C or more for 150 days a year by the end of the century.
Purulia saw 30 to 44 days with temperatures exceeding 40°C between 2019 and 2024, a sharp increase compared to the period from 1969 to 2019. Bankura and West Medinipur saw 20 to 30 days of extreme heat in the same timeframe.
“High temperatures clearly influenced by climate change jeopardized the health of billions,” said Andrew Pershing, Climate Central’s vice-president for science.