Southeast Asia Faces Growing Risks from Extreme Humid Heat
Quick Look
- Southeast Asia is highly vulnerable to extreme humid heat, with global extreme weather duration doubling in 50 years.
- A Climate Central report states parts of Southeast Asia, South America, and West Africa now face six months of 'dangerous' humid heat annually, primarily driven by human-caused climate change.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The duration of extreme weather globally has more than doubled over the past five decades, increasing from an average of 10 days to 23 days per year.
Southeast Asia is among the most vulnerable regions grappling with growing risks from heatwaves and high humidity, while the period of extreme weather has more than doubled globally over the past five decades.
The duration of extreme weather has increased worldwide to an average of 23 days per year from 10 in the 1970s, according to a report by non-profit news organisation Climate Central.
Parts of Southeast Asia, South America and coastal West Africa are among the regions that now experience at least six months of “dangerous” humid heat days annually, the report released on Wednesday shows.
The largest increases have occurred in tropical humid regions, where wet-bulb temperatures, which measure the combined effect of heat and humidity, are typically higher.
Zack Labe, a climate scientist with Climate Central, said in written responses to queries by This Week in Asia that the term “dangerous” humid heatwaves referred to days with a wet-bulb temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher – a threshold at which the body’s ability to cool itself becomes increasingly strained with higher risk of heat-related illnesses.
The report said human-caused climate change was the primary driver of dangerous humid heat, contributing to nearly two-thirds of such days worldwide, endangering millions.
Open Questions
- What are the specific health impacts of prolonged humid heat?
- What adaptation strategies are being implemented in affected regions?
- What are the economic costs associated with this increase in extreme weather?
