global warming
Climate researchers: Heat extremes are becoming more and more common
A worker in New Delhi quenches his thirst during India’s historic heatwave. Photo: Manish Swarup/AP/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Staying outdoors in India is currently dangerous for your health: The country is threatened by extreme heat, sometimes exceeding 45 degrees Celsius – and that’s just the beginning, experts warn.
According to climate researcher Stefan Rahmstorf, heat waves like the one currently in India could become more frequent as a result of climate change.
“As long as global warming continues, it is clear that extreme heat will also continue to increase,” said the head of the Earth System Analysis department at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) of the German Press Agency. In India, millions of residents are currently suffering from a heat wave with temperatures sometimes exceeding 45 degrees Celsius – and that was already at the end of April or beginning of May.
An end to the heat wave is initially not foreseeable. In India, values are currently being reached “where it is really dangerous to be outdoors for a long time”. According to Rahmstorf, regions in which people can no longer stay outdoors will continue to expand as global warming continues. In addition, India is currently increasingly affected by power outages due to the overloading of the power grid.
In his opinion, this problem can only be solved by a rapid energy transition. “We have to implement the Paris Agreement so that the whole thing doesn’t get completely out of hand,” warned Rahmstorf. However, he believes there has been a significant shift in thinking around the world since the Fridays for Future movement. “People are gradually understanding that we must now drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rahmstorf.