{"id":16933,"date":"2025-02-04T22:57:54","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T22:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=16933"},"modified":"2025-02-27T16:19:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T16:19:38","slug":"half-degree-rise-in-global-warming-will-triple-earths-uninhabitable-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/half-degree-rise-in-global-warming-will-triple-earths-uninhabitable-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"0.5\u00b0C Rise in Global Warming Will Triple Earth&#8217;s Uninhabitable Areas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">An international study led by King&#8217;s College London reveals that just a half-degree increase beyond 1.5\u00b0C in global warming can make an area the size of the US too hot for humans to live. The risks are especially high for older adults.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new alarming study led by King\u2019s College London has revealed the grave consequences of continued global warming. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43017-024-00635-w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Published<\/a> in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, the research indicates that a global temperature rise of just 0.5 degrees Celsius more than the 1.5 degrees Celsius benchmark could make a significant swath of the planet too hot for human survival, particularly for older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur findings show the potentially deadly consequences if global warming reaches 2\u00b0C,&#8221; lead author Tom Matthews, a senior lecturer in environmental geography at King\u2019s College London, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/news\/half-a-degree-rise-in-global-warming-will-triple-area-of-earth-too-hot-for-humans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. &#8220;Unsurvivable heat thresholds, which so far have only been exceeded briefly for older adults in the hottest regions on Earth, are likely to emerge even for younger adults. In such conditions, prolonged outdoor exposure \u2013 even for those in the shade, subject to a strong breeze, and well hydrated \u2013 would be expected to cause lethal heatstroke. It represents a step-change in heat-mortality risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The sobering assessment spells out that a rise to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels could see around 6% of Earth&#8217;s landmass \u2014 an area comparable to the size of the United States \u2014 hit temperatures too hot for even young, healthy individuals to maintain a safe core body temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For older adults, the threat is even more dire, with more than 35% of the planet\u2019s landmass surpassing critical overheating thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unforgiving Heat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study highlights the distinction between &#8220;uncompensable&#8221; and &#8220;unsurvivable&#8221; heat thresholds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Uncompensable thresholds are where the human body\u2019s core temperature rises uncontrollably, even with cooling measures like hydration and shade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unsurvivable thresholds are more severe, where the body\u2019s core temperature reaches 42 degrees Celsius within six hours, leading to fatal heatstroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Between 1994 and 2023, these thermal tolerances were breached on about 2% of the global land area for adults under 60, with older adults facing these dangerous conditions on more than 20% of the Earth\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High-Risk Regions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certain regions are particularly vulnerable to these extreme heat conditions, notably Saharan Africa and South Asia. The study predicts that at higher levels of warming, such as 4-5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, even younger adults will face these deadly conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt around 4\u00b0C of warming above pre-industrial levels, uncompensable heat for adults would affect about 40% of the global land area, with only the high latitudes, and the cooler regions of the mid-latitudes, remaining unaffected,&#8221; added Matthews.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Human Toll<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report underscores the real human cost of extreme heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2000, over 260,000 people have died in the deadliest heat events. Notably, nearly 72,000 deaths occurred in Europe during the 2003 heatwave, around 62,000 during the 2022 European heatwave and approximately 56,000 during the 2010 Russian heatwave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interdisciplinary Solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matthews stressed the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to combat these deadly heat events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cInterdisciplinary work is vital to improving our understanding of unprecedented heat\u2019s deadly potential and how it can be reduced,&#8221; he added. &#8220;As more of the planet experiences outdoor conditions too hot for our physiology, it will be essential that people have reliable access to cooler environments to shelter from the heat.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This international research team, which includes experts from the University of California, Stanford University, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Columbia University and Boston University, highlights the urgent need for climate mitigation and targeted adaptation efforts to protect communities most at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This study signals a clear and urgent need for global action to curb emissions and limit temperature rises. With potentially fatal heatwaves becoming more frequent and widespread, comprehending the magnitude of future heat extremes is essential for minimizing their impact on human health and survival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new alarming study led by King\u2019s College London has revealed the grave consequences of continued global warming. Published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, the research indicates that a global temperature rise of just 0.5 degrees Celsius more than the 1.5 degrees Celsius benchmark could make a significant swath of the planet too hot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-climate-and-environment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A new alarming study led by King\u2019s College London has revealed the grave consequences of continued global warming. Published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, the research indicates that a global temperature rise of just 0.5 degrees Celsius more than the 1.5 degrees Celsius benchmark could make a significant swath of the planet too hot&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16933"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19153,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16933\/revisions\/19153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}