Extreme temperatures are occurring in Asia as the climate crisis worsens.
According to an analysis by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) published on June 27, the 20 most populous cities in the world (over 300 million people) have experienced a 52% increase in the number of days with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) over the past three decades.
From the capital city of Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Paris (France) and Cairo (Egypt), the study shows that with each passing decade, as human greenhouse gas emissions rise, capitals around the world are becoming increasingly hot, posing a threat to human health, the economy, and infrastructure.
In a press release, IIED senior researcher Tucker Landesman asserted that climate change is not just a future threat, but it is becoming increasingly worse.
In recent months, there has been a disturbing increase in the number of extreme heat days affecting several capitals around the world. Worse still, the urban heat island effect has led to cities experiencing much higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas.
Residents protect themselves from summer heat in Gurugram, India on June 18, 2024. (Photo: Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times/Getty Images).
Asian cities have experienced the highest temperature increases – a trend clearly reflected in recent heat waves across the continent, from Southeast Asia to China and India. Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate risks due to its high population, poverty levels, and the percentage of people living in low-lying areas susceptible to flooding, rising sea levels, and other natural disasters.
New Delhi ranks at the top of the list of the hottest cities recently, recording 4,222 days with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius over the past three decades – more than any other city surveyed. From 2014 to 2023, just under half (44%) of the days in the Indian capital reached that threshold, compared to 35% from 1994 to 2003 and 37% from 2004 to 2013. The capital region is getting hotter. By the end of May, New Delhi recorded temperatures as high as 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 degrees Fahrenheit) – the highest temperature in the capital’s history, stressing India’s power grid and electricity supply. The heat wave extending into the night left residents with little time to rest.
“We have lived in this neighborhood for 40 years, but we have never experienced a summer this extreme. We only get water once a day, and it is very hot,” said Kalyani Saha, a 60-year-old resident of Lajpat Nagar East.
Sagar Mandal, a rickshaw driver in Delhi, stated that he has been getting fewer passengers as people choose air-conditioned taxis instead of open-air transport.
“My body cannot handle it, but I have to keep pedaling. We are used to manual labor and don’t complain about it. But the heat is too extreme,” added Sagar Mandal.
The number of days with extreme heat is unprecedented
Meanwhile, the capital city of Jakarta (Indonesia) has also seen one of the highest increases in the number of days with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius over the past 30 years, from 28 days in the period 1994-2003 to 167 days in the period 2014-2023.
The capitals of Seoul (South Korea) and Beijing (China) have also experienced significant heat days. In 2018, Seoul recorded 21 days with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius – more than the total for the previous decade. The number of days above 35 degrees in Beijing has increased by 309% since 1994.
These cities are also experiencing prolonged high temperatures due to government failures to meet climate goals and effectively limit emissions. In October 2023, the capital Jakarta recorded 30 consecutive days with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius – more days than in the period from 1994 to 2003.
Extreme heat can be deadly, especially for vulnerable groups who do not have access to cool air. According to a report from the Indian NGO Health Development Center, from June 11-19, Delhi recorded 192 deaths among the homeless, all related to the heat, during a period of record-high temperatures compared to the same time over the past five years.
Children, the elderly, and pregnant women are at higher risk during heat waves. The heat also has devastating effects on informal and hourly workers. This group may have to stop working or choose between staying home without pay or working under hazardous conditions.
Additionally, extreme heat also damages the economy, harming crops, livestock, and reducing labor productivity, especially in places without air conditioning, as workers need more time to rest and hydrate.
Extremely high temperatures also stress infrastructure, including highways, roads, power lines, and railways, causing disruptions to supply chains, power outages, and disease outbreaks.
According to a 2022 study by Dartmouth College, extreme heat has cost the global economy trillions of dollars since the early 1990s, with the poorest and lowest-emission countries bearing the brunt of the consequences.
“Addressing the challenge of extreme heat will require necessary action from policymakers, including serious investments to adapt to this new reality,” Landesman from IIED stated.
