EcoAlert: Killer Heat Waves Predicted for U.S. through Century

nrdc.org 

                     

By the end of the 21st century, heatwaves caused by global warming could kill 150,000 people who would otherwise live. The US Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates how many extreme heat events will hit the US this century, assuming greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current path. Climate models suggest that by 2099 the 40 most populous cities will have approximately eight times as many days of extreme heat per year as today.

About 1330 Americans die each year from extreme heat events. That figure will rise to about 4600 by 2099, giving a total of more than 150,000 extra deaths by the end of the century, according to the report – "Killer Summer Heat: Projected death toll from rising temperatures in America due to climate change."Louisville in Kentucky will be the most imapcted city, with an extra 19,000 deaths by 2099. By comparision, the European heatwave of 2003 killed 35,000 people.

The figure may actually be an underestimate, because the US population is ageing and older people are more vulnerable to heat.

Cities can use forecasting systems to warn people of imminent heatwaves and protect at-risk residents, says the NRDC's climate and clean air campaign director Peter Altman. "But no preventive measures can keep up with the added risk due to rising temperatures, so the other solution is to reduce the pollution driving climate change."

The Daily Galaxy via NRDC and newscientist.com

Image credit: With thanks to Tyrone Turner/National Geographic 

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Comments

[KSW]

do you get payed to put out this trash? i wonder how many old people would die heat related deaths from lack of air conditioning if the neo malthusians got their way and made energy prohibitively
expensive. also the internet is an energy expensive luxury that won't be necessary when everyone is peasant farmer once again. so no need for dopey websites like this one. get your hoe out.

[Bob Greenwade]

What we really need is to build a bunch of these, especially in China, the United States, and Europe:

http://dvice.com/archives/2012/05/humongous-air-d.php

[DwarfGalaxy]

150.000? well, the n H conflict w claim h o m, and i right a the c

[Brogester]

Hey another tipping point about to destroy us all. He who tells the scariest story gets the most money.

[james]

So we can't accurately predict weather 48 hours in advance but you expect me to believe someone can predict heat waves 100 years from now? Seems legit (rolls eyes).

[Christian Rioux]

This is what "experts" said about Europe, but for 2 years in a row, they got freezing temperature instead.

[Harry]

Europe has already had episodes of heat-wave related deaths so this IS a credible story. Make no mistake, peer-reviews science is adamant about greater incidence of such deaths due to climate change. The US will not be exempt.

[John Durden]

You should really cite your sources for, well, everything. I've never once seen a citation link actually work on this blog. I think it's time I remove you from my RSS feed.Editor's Note: John, apologies. We always try to include working links. These are not working, as you pointed out. We tried several times, but keep getting "broken link" message.