The issue of global warming has to be addressed for the safety of future generations. It is a phenomenon created by human beings and must be controlled by them if the world is to survive. Scientists are continuously monitoring the health of the Earth and have predicted that a new super-heatwave could witness temperatures that go beyond 55°C (131°F). The effect of such a wave could be felt in densely populated areas of the U.S. east coast, coastal China, large parts of India and South America.
Global warming has a direct bearing on climate change and is attributed to the greenhouse gas generated from the use of fossil fuels and the obvious solution to reverse the trend is to go in for alternate fuels.
The Paris agreement has evolved to create awareness about this aspect but the United States has withdrawn from it.
Some of the findings
Daily Mail UK reports that according to earlier predictions, the Earth would heat up by 4°C (39°F) by 2100. However, fresh research has been carried out by the Joint Research Centre consisting of the European Commission's science and knowledge service. They have concluded that the situation could be more severe because there are possibilities of bouts of 'super-heatwaves' that could attain highs of 55°C (131°F) if the global temperature goes up by just 4°C (39°F).
Already, heatwave 'Lucifer' has swept across Europe this summer with temperatures in the region of 44°C (111°F).
Such heatwaves are the result of global warming and will lead to increased humidity and corresponding health issues like heatstroke and hypothermia.
The study also projects a substantial increase in the number of deaths from natural disasters like coastal flooding, wildfires, river floods, windstorms, and droughts. Therefore, in order to preserve the health and wellbeing of future generations, there is a need to address the issue and fulfil the aims of the Paris agreement.
Effects of heatwave
The team of researchers carried out an analysis of 2,300 disaster records from 1981 to 2010 and used this data, pertaining to 28 European countries, to estimate the vulnerability of each country's population to the different types of disasters studied. They concluded that by 2100, two out of three people living in Europe may be affected by weather-related disasters caused by climate change.
According to lead author Dr Giovanni Forzieri, climate change is expected to be one of the biggest global threats to human health in the 21st century. City planners have an important role to play to check the evils of global warming from spreading. They have to reduce the urban sprawl, advise people to control the use of cars, encourage use of bicycles and electric cars, increase improved air conditioning of buildings and offices, and introduce measures to control flood damage, etcetera.
US President Donald Trump, while withdrawing from the Paris agreement said he could reconsider his decision in time. It is understood that America will attend the next meeting in Bonn in November and the world will wait to see if it reviews the previous decision.
