'Heat disasters' could cause widespread suffering in future, report warns

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Heat waves could bring large-scale suffering and loss of life in the future, according to a report published on Monday.

"The impacts (of increased heat waves) would include large-scale suffering and loss of life, population movements and further entrenched inequality," said the joint report by the UN humanitarian coordination office and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The study, titled Extreme Heat: Preparing for the Heatwaves of the Future, also warned that these impacts are already emerging. "The climate crisis is not a future concern for humanitarians. It’s happening right now."

Extreme heat also drives forced displacement and migration, it said, adding extreme temperatures-linked 1.1 million new internal displacements were recorded between 2008 and 2020.

"But there can be no question that the direct and indirect impacts of extreme heat will contribute to greater human mobility and displacement in the future," the report said.

The finding highlighted that future of increasing extreme temperatures that cause widespread suffering and overwhelm coping capacities might be termed “heat disasters.”

"But this future is not inevitable," said the report, suggesting that "aggressive investments" in mitigation and adaptation, could prevent it.

However, the report also warned that current efforts are "woefully insufficient" to avoid future loss and damage, caused by extreme heat.

"The most important thing that can be done to prevent a future of large-scale heat disasters is to honor the commitment to keep global warming well below 2°C," it added.