Over 2 Billion in Cities Will Be Exposed to 0.5ºC Rise by 2040
November 05, 2024
Key Points
- A new study finds that over 2 billion people living in cities will be exposed to a 0.5ºC temperature rise by 2040.
- The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, is the first to examine the impacts of climate change on cities at a global scale.
- The findings highlight the urgent need for cities to take action to adapt to climate change, as the impacts are likely to be felt sooner and more severely in urban areas.
Study Findings
The study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford, used a new climate model to project the impacts of climate change on cities around the world. The model took into account factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and urban heat island effects.
The researchers found that under a scenario where global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise unabated, over 2 billion people living in cities will be exposed to a 0.5ºC temperature rise by 2040. This includes cities in all regions of the world, but the impacts will be particularly severe in developing countries.
The study also found that the impacts of climate change are likely to be felt sooner and more severely in urban areas than in rural areas. This is because cities are typically warmer than surrounding areas due to the urban heat island effect, and they are also more vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events such as heat waves and flooding.
Implications for Cities
The findings of the study have important implications for cities around the world. The study highlights the urgent need for cities to take action to adapt to climate change, as the impacts are likely to be felt sooner and more severely in urban areas.
Cities can take a number of steps to adapt to climate change, such as:
- Investing in green infrastructure, such as parks and green roofs, to help reduce the urban heat island effect
- Improving public transportation and walking infrastructure to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
- Implementing early warning systems for extreme weather events
- Developing and implementing climate adaptation plans
Conclusion
The study’s findings are a wake-up call for cities around the world. The impacts of climate change are already being felt, and they are only going to get worse in the future. Cities need to take action now to adapt to climate change, in order to protect their residents and their economies.
Over 2 billion in cities will be exposed to 0.5ºC rise by 2040
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