SUMMARY of the “The perils of heatwaves,” Ayesha Malik, January 11th, 2024**:
The article discusses the origins and exacerbated impact of heatwaves, emphasizing their catastrophic consequences on the environment, economy, and communities. Born from intricate atmospheric interactions influenced by climate change and natural climatic patterns like El Niño and La Niña, heatwaves pose challenges such as devastated ecosystems, stressed energy systems, and increased health hazards. Historical incidents in Pakistan, like the 2015 heatwave in Sindh claiming over 700 lives and the 2022 heatwaves and subsequent natural disasters, highlight the severity. The article emphasizes the importance of efficient heatwave mitigation and adaptation strategies, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency measures, and the creation of green spaces to mitigate urban heat islands. Policy measures like early warning systems and sustainable urban planning are proposed. Additionally, adaptation strategies involve climate-resilient agriculture, improved emergency response plans, research and monitoring, and health protection measures. The article concludes by stressing the global prediction of increased heatwave frequency and intensity, particularly affecting vulnerable populations, and advocates for collective efforts to build resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create a sustainable future.
Easy/Short SUMMARY:
The article explains the causes and severe impacts of heatwaves, particularly in Pakistan, highlighting historical incidents. It stresses the need for effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to heatwaves, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, creating green spaces, and implementing early warning systems. Adaptation measures involve climate-resilient agriculture, improved emergency responses, research, and health protection. The article concludes by emphasizing global predictions of worsening heatwaves and the importance of collective efforts to build resilience and create a sustainable future.
SOLUTIONS of The Problem:
Mitigation Strategies
- Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
– Switch to renewable energy sources.
– Improve energy efficiency.
– Promote sustainable transportation.
– Adopt cleaner industrial practices.
- Energy Efficiency and Conservation:
– Implement building insulation.
– Use energy-efficient appliances.
– Develop smart grids.
- Mitigating Urban Heat Islands:
– Create green spaces like parks, green roofs, and vertical gardens.
– Use reflective pavements and roofs with specific coatings.
- Policy and Planning Measures:
– Utilize heat stress indices and meteorological data for early warning systems.
– Implement sustainable urban planning techniques, including mixed land use and green infrastructure.
- Enhancing Public Awareness and Education:
– Conduct media campaigns, community workshops, and educational programs.
– Educate people about heatwave hazards, early warning systems, and emergency response procedures.
Adaptation Strategies
- Climate-Resilient Agriculture:
– Employ climate-resilient farming methods.
– Promote drought-tolerant plants.
– Improve irrigation techniques.
- Heatwave Emergency Response:
– Draft and implement heatwave emergency response plans.
– Build cooling centers.
– Improve accessibility to clean drinking water.
– Develop communication channels for public preparedness.
- Research and Monitoring:
– Invest in research to identify at-risk locations and populations.
– Create adaptation plans to understand the effects of heatwaves.
- Health Protection Measures:
– Establish guidelines for medical professionals on heat-related disorders.
– Launch awareness-raising public health initiatives.
– Ensure sufficient medical resources and facilities to address heat-related conditions.
IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the article:
- Severe heatwave in Sindh in June 2015 claimed over 700 lives, with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius.
- Parts of Pakistan experienced temperatures over 50°C from March to May 2022, followed by destructive natural disasters.
- 65 fatalities reported from the 2022 heatwaves, with potential higher tolls.
- Natural disasters following the 2022 heatwaves affected 33 million people, claimed over 1,700 lives, and damaged or destroyed more than 2.2 million homes.
- The article mentions historical and current incidents to illustrate the catastrophic potential of heatwaves in Pakistan.
MCQs from the Article:
1. What are the key contributors to the exacerbation of heatwaves mentioned in the article?
A. Ocean currents
B. Natural climatic patterns
C. Climate change
D. Plate tectonics
2. Which city experienced the most reported deaths during the severe heatwave in Sindh in June 2015?
A. Islamabad
B. Lahore
C. Karachi
D. Peshawar
3. What mitigation strategy is NOT mentioned in the article?
A. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
B. Increase in industrial practices
C. Energy efficiency and conservation
D. Mitigating urban heat islands
4. What is one proposed adaptation strategy for improving health protection measures during heatwaves?
A. Building cooling centers
B. Improving irrigation techniques
C. Establishing guidelines for medical professionals
D. Investing in research and monitoring
5. What does the article emphasize regarding the frequency and intensity of heatwaves?
A. Global cooling trends
B. Predicted to rise globally
C. Stable patterns in recent years
D. Regional variations with no clear trend
VOCABULARY:
- Exacerbated (adjective) (براہ کرم بڑھا ہوا): Made more severe or intense.
- Intricate (adjective) (پیچیدہ): Very detailed and complicated; complex.
- Mitigation (noun) (سنگ رفع): The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.
- Atmospheric (adjective) (ہوائی): Relating to the atmosphere of the Earth or another planet.
- Dehydration (noun) (خشکی): The loss or removal of water from something.
- Catastrophic (adjective) (تباہ کن): Involving or causing a sudden and widespread disaster.
- Resilient (adjective) (لچکدار): Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
- Acute (adjective) (شدید): Present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.
- Monsoon (noun) (موسم برسات): A seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing rain.
- Glacial Lake Outburst (noun) (برفانی جھیل کا انہماک): A sudden release of a significant amount of water retained by a glacier or a glacial moraine.
- Encapsulation (noun) (محاصرہ): The action of enclosing something in or as if in a capsule.
- Afford (verb) (اختیار کرنا): Provide or supply (an opportunity or facility).
- Adaptation (noun) (ترتیب): The action or process of changing something to suit a new purpose or improving its function.
- Preventive (adjective) (روکنے والا): Designed to keep something undesirable, such as illness or accidents, from occurring.
- Aphid (noun) (لال بھٹ): A minute bug that feeds by sucking sap from plants and causes the formation of gall.
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The perils of heatwaves
BY Ayesha Malik
HEATWAVES are born from an intricate atmospheric interaction in which warm air is pushed towards the ground by the high pressure in the atmosphere. Heatwaves are exacerbated by climate change. They are also influenced by natural climatic patterns like El Niño and La Niña. Heatwaves pose a grave challenge to our environment, economy, and community — from devastated ecosystems, stressed energy systems and agriculture to increased health hazards and social inequities.
The catastrophic potential of heatwaves in Pakistan is illustrated by historical and current incidents. A severe heatwave with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius struck Sindh in June 2015, claiming the lives of over 700 individuals. Karachi experienced most of the reported deaths, in the span of three days, caused by acute dehydration and heatstroke. Parts of Pakistan witnessed some of the highest temperatures of over 50°C from March to May 2022. The authorities reported 65 fatalities, though the toll may be higher. The heatwaves were followed by destructive monsoon rains, glacial lake outburst and flash floods that affected 33 million people, claimed over 1,700 lives, and damaged or destroyed more than 2.2m homes.
Considering these challenges, efficient heatwave mitigation, adaptation, and solution options are critical. Some mitigation strategies are:
First, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions — the predominant cause of climate change. Key measures for lowering GHG emissions include switching to renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, promoting sustainable transportation, and adopting cleaner industrial practices.
Second, energy efficiency and conservation through initiatives such as building insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and smart grids.
Third, mitigating urban heat islands through green spaces, such as parks, green roofs, and vertical gardens. Reflective pavements and roofs with specific coatings can be utilised to minimise surface temperatures and reflect sunlight.
Mitigation and adaptation are critical
Additionally, policy and planning measures can utilise heat stress indices and meteorological data to develop efficient heatwave early warning systems that offer rapid response and public alerts. Sustainable urban planning techniques, including mixed land use, appropriate zoning, and the incorporation of green infrastructure, might prove helpful.
Finally, enhancing public awareness and education about heatwaves to enable people to take preventive action and defend vulnerable groups. Media campaigns, community workshops, and educational programmes are essential to educate people about heatwave hazards, early warning systems, and emergency response procedures.
Some adaptation strategies are:
Climate-resilient agriculture: This would entail employing climate-resilient farming methods to help ensure food security during heatwaves. This is accomplished by promoting the production of drought-tolerant plants, improving irrigation techniques, and arming farmers with adaptive technologies.
Heatwave emergency response: This could be improved by drafting and implementing heatwave emergency response plans that specify what should be done during heatwaves, building cooling centres, improving accessibility to clean drinking water, and developing communication channels for public preparedness.
Research and monitoring: Investing in this area can identify at-risk locations and populations, and help create adaptation plans to comprehend the effects of heatwaves.
Health protection measures: Supporting these can help public health systems become more resilient to heatwaves by establishing guidelines for medical professionals on heat-related disorders, launching awareness-raising public health initiatives, and ensuring there are enough medical resources and facilities to address heat-related conditions to aid in protecting vulnerable populations.
The frequency and intensity of heatwaves are predicted to rise globally. Urban locations with high-population densities, low-income populations, outdoor labourers, and those with pre-existing medical issues are at greater risk. To safeguard vulnerable people and guarantee resilience in the face of future climatic scenarios is important.
To create and implement efficient adaptation solutions, we must encourage cooperation among individuals, communities, and policymakers. Building a resilient future, lowering GHG emissions, and lessening the effects of heatwaves all depend on putting emphasis on sustainable practices and mitigating climate change. Collectively, we can safeguard vulnerable groups, improve readiness and build a more secure and sustainable world for future generations.
Muhammad Hassan Dajana is a Fulbright scholar in community climate adaptation. Syeda Hamna Shujat is a climate activist.