Unprecedented heat and growing populations are putting several parts of the world at risk, and new data suggests it's only going to get worse.
A study from researchers at the University of Bristol identified which areas are the most underprepared for rising heat. It noted that extreme temperatures, “which appear implausible until they happen,” may happen anywhere, but the countries experiencing temperature spikes in recent years are the most at risk.
"Heatwaves are becoming more frequent under climate change and can lead to thousands of excess deaths," the report reads. "Adaptation to extreme weather events often occurs in response to an event, with communities learning fast following unexpectedly impactful events."
According to the study, the most vulnerable areas in the world are Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and many areas of Central America. Afghanistan is “the region of most concern."
"[These areas] not only have they the potential for far more extreme heatwaves than experienced, but their population is growing and increasingly exposed because of limited healthcare and energy resources," it explains. "We urge policy makers in vulnerable regions to consider if heat action plans are sufficient for what might come."
The researchers said that to reduce the most severe impacts of heat on populations, policymakers and governments should invest in creating a higher volume of cooling centers, and to reduce the hours of outdoor workers. Moreover, they recommend preparing not based on current data, but rather the worst case scenario.
"Often, regions are only prepared for events as extreme as they have already experienced, with planning initiated by past disasters," the report continues. "Policymakers and governments need to prepare for events beyond current records — particularly with trends caused by anthropogenic climate change enhancing the probability of extremes."
"Heatwaves are deadly — but better preparation can save lives," it stated.
