Temperatures above 50C used to be a rarity confined to two or three global hotspots, but the World Meteorological Organization noted that at least 10 countries have reported this level of searing heat in the past year: the US, Mexico, Morocco, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Pakistan, India and China.
In Iran, the heat index – a measure that also includes humidity – has come perilously close to 60C, far above the level considered safe for humans.
Heatwaves are now commonplace elsewhere, killing the most vulnerable, worsening inequality and threatening the wellbeing of future generations. Unicef calculates a quarter of the world’s children are already exposed to frequent heatwaves, and this will rise to almost 100% by mid-century.
times like these, I feel pretty shitty about how the world and I have condemned my kids to suffer the water wars in a handful of years
Yeah, I feel the same. I was having a tough day already but reading this has made me particularly gloomy.
I feel as though we will look back at these days wistfully.
Here are some sites to remind you that not everything in the world is bad, friend:
Here are some sites to remind you that not everything in the world is bad, friend: