On Tuesday, May 16 at 19:30 GMT:
Scorching temperatures and record-breaking heat have already made headlines this year as increasingly intense heat waves continue to be a recurring feature of life in many parts of the world. School hours have been shortened in the Philippines while outdoor labor will be banned in Spain when it’s just too dangerous to work. Climate historian Maximiliano Herrera tweeted that a recent heat wave in Southeast Asia is one of the most brutal heat events the world has ever experienced. All the while, scientists are on high alert, warning of an El Nino weather system may be forthcoming.
The risk of extreme heat is all the greater in cities. Shade can be elusive and available only to the wealthy, while buildings themselves often trap heat during the day and release it at night, further raising temperatures. a recent analysis has found that “more than 1.6 billion people in nearly 1,000 cities will experience regular, extreme heat waves within 30 years” if urgent action is not taken. Experts warn that extreme heat is associated with increased deaths and diseases, threats to biodiversity and long-term effects on economic growth.
While wealthier countries and citizens generally have greater access to aid, it is those living in lower-income countries and communities who suffer the most.
As extreme heat continues to ravage people and communities around the world, a new crop of leaders is taking the lead to mitigate risk and impact in their cities. In this episode of The Stream, we discuss how some cities are responding to extreme heat.
In this episode of The Stream we are joined by:
Eugenia Kargbo @EugeniaKargbo
Chief Heat Officer, Freetown Sierra Leone
Aditya Valiathan Pillai @aditya_vpillai
Associate Fellow, Center for Policy Research (CPR)
Cristina Huidobro @CrisHuidobro
Chief Heat Officer, Santiago, Chile