These heat waves we’ve been getting are much more than temporary inconveniences. They are a stark preview of our weather — and world — to come.
The past 10 years have beenÌý, and 2024 was the most sweltering of all. Several maximum temperature records have already been broken this summer, including 21 in Ontario on a single day in June.Ìý all but guarantee temperatures will continue to rise in the next five years.Ìý
Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and the very young, people with chronic illnesses, those experiencing homelessness, and anyone with a lack of access to cooling, are particularly at risk.
The key is immediate and international action. In July 2024, the United Nations issuedÌý on extreme heat, stating the need for a strategy that will mobilize leaders, prevent and reduce heat risk, increase resilience and mitigate the impact of extreme heat.Ìý
To help communities plan and adapt to this hotter reality, many cities around the world, including Athens, Dhaka, Freetown, Los Angeles and Melbourne, have appointed chief heat officers. And Mayor Olivia Chow announced earlier this year that ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ is considering adding aÌýchief resiliency officer.
As the latest heat dome settles in, here’s what you need to know about the risks of extreme heat, what you can expect in the years to come, and how you can be part of the solution.ÌýÌýÌý
Temperatures are on an alarming rise. The UN’s chief heat officer weighs in on what needs to change.
How dangerous are heat waves, really?Ìý
Heat is the world’s — each year it leads to more deaths than all the other hazards combined. And yet, even though the rates of illness and death are more severe, it isn’t talked about in the same way as floods, tornadoes or wildfires.Ìý
There are a few reasons for this, says Caroline Metz, managing director of climate resilience and health at theÌý at the University of Waterloo.
“Heat is a silent killer,†she says. “Its impact is almost invisible — if you look outside after a heat wave, on the surface everything looks pretty much the same as it did before.â€ÌýÌýÌý
And in colder countries like Canada, there’s the added complication of habits and traditions.
“Culturally, we tend to think of heat as something positive to look forward to. We think about going to the beach or the cottage or having ice cream,†she says. “It’s hard for us to consider how it could harm us or our families and neighbours, so we underestimate the danger.â€Ìý
How bad could it get in years to come?Ìý
CanadaÌýis already warming atÌý, a speed that is projected to intensify and cause more frequent extreme weather events.
According to Metz, by mid-century, the number of days above 30 degrees Celsius in Canada will jump two to four times what we’re used to, our maximum temperatures will increase three to five degrees, and the average length of heat waves will double or even triple.Ìý
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On top of that, “cities will get even hotter because of the way we develop — there’s more buildings, more asphalt and fewer trees and vegetation†says Metz.
That leads to a phenomenon called the heat-island effect, where urban spaces can be 10 to 15 degrees Celsius hotter than surrounding rural areas. These high temperatures can lead to health complications such as dehydration, heat strokes, cardiovascular events, renal failure and more.Ìý
We’re often told to stay inside when it’s hot, but it’s even hotter in my home. Are our buildings part of the problem?Ìý
We need to heatproof our buildings, saysÌýÌýthe UN’s global chief heat officer.
Myrivili has the urgent task of helping cities adapt to extreme heat. Before she held this position, she was chief heat officer in Athens, where she worked on an innovative project to help cool the city by tapping into a 24-kilometre Roman aqueduct to irrigate parks and create water features.
More than most, Myrivili understands the power of leveragingÌýwhat’s already at our disposal, but she also believes that buildings need to be designed to fend off heat in the first place.Ìý
“When we didn’t have fossil fuels, people built houses based on how they could cool themselves in passive ways, like having a central atrium, lattices, holes in the walls, white walls, white roofs,†says Myrivili.
Many of Canada’s buildings weren’t designed with this hotter climate in mind.
Retrofitting existing homes and edifices by improving insulation, using external shades and using cool roofing materials can greatly improve their cooling capabilities.
“Even a couple of degrees cooler can make an enormous difference,†she says.ÌýÌýÌý
Why can’t we all just get air conditioning and call it a day?Ìý
Heat doesn’t treat everyone equally — it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable.
“If you are upper class or upper-middle class, you can leave the city, you can have air conditioning, you can work in an office,†says Myrivili. The same isn’t true for people who can’t afford cooling or who have to work outdoors.Ìý
To make matters worse, air conditioning pushes out heat, exacerbating an already vicious situation.
“People then need to use more air conditioning, and people who don’t have air conditioning suffer from much more heat,†says Myrivili. “We have to figure out how to make the public space cooler so the buildings need less mechanical cooling.â€Ìý
How can technology help us adapt to heat waves?Ìý
Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, and labs around the world are working on predicting global warming trends using data analytics.
“There are so many things happening through technological innovation,†says Myrivili. “In India, for example, there are superlocal solutions that assess in real time which buildings are the hottest at any moment so as to inform people when to move to cooler buildings or parts of the city.â€Ìý
More traditional early warning systems, like the heat alert and response system set up by Environment and Climate Change Canada, are also crucial in protecting residents.
“Municipalities will pick up the heat warnings and feed them to their community partners, setting off a series of actions,†says Metz. “It helps them figure out how, where and when to open cooling centres and splash pads.â€
If you’re looking for widely available, user-friendly tools, Canadians can sign up for heat alerts through the federal government’s app, WeatherCAN, and set custom notifications for high temperatures and humidex.Ìý
I’m just one person, but I’d like to do my part. Where should I start?Ìý
Preparedness is key.
Illness and death by heat are preventable, and we can be proactive by adapting our indoor environments and working together to protect vulnerable populations, says Metz.
Waterloo’s Intact Centre has produced free,Ìý that detail actions homeowners and tenants can take to protect themselves against extreme heat.Ìý
Planting trees, installing green roofs and setting up balcony gardens, for instance, can help minimize urban heat islands.
Installing shading devices like shutters and awnings, using building materials that absorb heat and improving insulation can bring temperatures down.
And reaching out to neighbours and local residents who might need extra help to remain cool doesn’t just improve physical health — it helps foster community.ÌýÌý
“The risk is just going to increase,†says Metz. “So we need to be acting now to make that time in the future better, safer, healthier.â€Ìý
To find out more about how experts are working to help us prepare for extreme heat, listen to the latest episode of the MaRS podcast .Ìý
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