Urban Areas Most Vulnerable to Heatwave Deaths Amid Climate Change: Research

Synopsis

A recent study highlights the alarming rise in heatwave-related deaths due to human-induced climate change, particularly affecting urban populations with low income and limited access to health services. The findings underscore the urgency for communities to prepare for more frequent and intense heatwaves in the future.

Key Takeaways

Climate change has significantly increased heatwave-related mortality.
Urban residents, especially those with low income and health access, face the highest risk.
The study analyzed heatwave data spanning decades to assess mortality trends.
Melbourne recorded an unprecedented temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius.
Future heatwaves are expected to occur more frequently.

Sydney, Feb 18 (NationPress) Climate change driven by human activities has led to a rise in fatalities associated with heatwaves, with urban populations facing a significantly greater risk of death, as revealed by a study released on Tuesday.

Two distinct investigations conducted by researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) assessed the impact of heatwaves on mortality in Australia, as reported by Xinhua.

The first study, a partnership between UQ and The Australian National University (ANU), evaluated mortality rates during a severe heatwave that struck southeastern Australia in 2009, alongside decades of heatwave data to understand how climate change has influenced heat-related deaths.

During this heatwave, Melbourne hit a record temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius, while parts of Victoria experienced 12 continuous days exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

Approximately 374 excess deaths were estimated in Victoria during the peak five days of this heatwave.

The findings indicated that climate change has escalated heatwave-related fatalities during this event by 20 percent. The second study reviewed two decades of data to identify regions in Australia that are particularly susceptible to heatwaves.

It revealed that low-income city residents with limited education, diabetes, and restricted access to healthcare services were at the highest risk of succumbing to heatwave-related deaths.

Patrick Amoatey, a doctoral candidate at UQ and co-author of the study, noted that the increased risk in urban areas stems from the prevalence of heat-retaining surfaces such as roads, buildings, and railway tracks.

“Our findings indicate that heatwaves associated with higher mortality rates will become more frequent than in the past,” stated Nicholas Osborne from UQ's School of Public Health.

He expressed hope that their research will assist communities in better preparing for future heatwaves.

Heatwaves pose numerous health and economic threats, including increased human mortality rates, drought conditions, water quality issues, wildfires, power outages, and agricultural losses.