Posted on 05/17/2022 1:32:58 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Canada is hot and getting hotter.
Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future, from geoscientist Joanna Eyquem and Blair Feltmate, is a new study from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (a research facility at the University of Waterloo) that projects a roasty future in Canadian cities as temperatures continue to rise.
Cities are the focus because urban areas are the hotspots of global warming, as they’re hotter than surrounding countryside, with heat trapped and reflected by roads, paved areas and other surfaces.
This is the urban-heat-island effect.
The extreme heat coming our way carries with it concurrent threats of flooding, wildfires and other natural disasters already happening in Canada.
Canada is warming (on average) at twice the global rate, researchers state.
As always, some Canadians will be more vulnerable than others: The elderly, the economically disadvantaged, those who labour outdoors and people who already have health issues.
The researchers are quite specific about areas at risk: “Low-lying areas from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains (British Columbia), the Prairies bordering the United States (southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) and north of Lake Erie through the St. Lawrence River Valley (southern Ontario and Quebec).”
The study states that widespread death will result if an extreme heat event and a lengthy power outage happen at the same time; being prepared for this type of weather emergency has become crucial.
Everyone has to take steps now to reduce personal and community risk from extreme heat.
The study provides a detailed list of actions individuals, building owners and communities can take to protect one another.
From installation of heat-reducing windows and shading devices (such as shutters or awnings) to planting more trees and making an emergency plan with neighbours, there are plenty of things individuals can do.
On the community level, cooling centres, reduction of vehicle traffic and local support programs are among the suggested solutions.
Extreme heat is already causing premature deaths in Canada. During a heat wave last summer in British Columbia, 526 people died as a result of extreme heat in the last five days of June.
Much of Canada will experience extreme temperatures in the years 2051–2080. The report looks at three indicators: very hot days (over 30C), warmest maximum temperature and heat wave duration.
Toronto can expect very hot days — over 30C — to increase from a dozen each summer to more than 50 by 2051.
The further south you go in Ontario, the worse it gets, with Hamilton and the Niagara region sweltering in life-threatening temperatures, and Windsor set to be on the receiving end of almost 80 days a year of temperatures higher than 30C.
And by higher, scientists predict heat in the range of 38C in the second half of the century. In places such as Kelowna, B.C. and Regina, temperatures of 40C will not be out of the ordinary.
The current trajectory will see Toronto experience heat waves that stretch on for more than a week.
Extreme heat affects every element of life, creating electrical problems, damaging infrastructure, reducing insect and bird populations, affecting water quality and putting tremendous pressure on human health and health-care services.
To avoid all of this getting worse, action is required now.
In Toronto, there are community action groups you can join.
The research study mentions CREW — Community Resilience to Extreme Weather — a group with strategies to protect neighbours and be prepared with an emergency plan.
Meanwhile, Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future should be required reading.
Only tons of research dollars can prevent “lethal heat.”
What is the global rate? One tenth of a degree, every thousand years?
Thanks to climate change, Canada is habitable. Nearly all of Canada was under ice during the last ice age
Almost everyone in Canada lives right along their southern border. North of that, it’s just too cold. It’s a vast and empty land because it’s not warm enough.
Cities are the focus because urban areas are the hotspots of global warming, as they’re hotter than surrounding countryside, with heat trapped and reflected by roads, paved areas and other surfaces.
There is a solution. Don’t build such dense cities. Spread them out a bit. The water has nowhere to go when it can’t be absorbed into the ground.
These disasters are always years away. When it finally gets here few remember. Our year is 2022. We were predicted to be eating Soylent Green. Approaching tyranny, however, is always in effect. 1984 has come and gone but only seems to be wrong about the date.
“A few decades ago” I was actively being taught in grade school the world was going to freeze to death. I don’t see the people proposing this as being any smarter than those people were then.
its always ‘a few decades from now’ and when that time comes, its always ‘a few more decades from now’
.
These are all purposeful lies.
For 25 years, the Dems said Global Warming was causing more Hurricanes.
The latest study showed that CLEAN Air produces more Atlantic Hurricanes.
They make up lies to keep the population compliant and in fear
30C is 86 degrees F. This candy @$$ author with no critical thinking skills whatsoever needs to spend a summer in Mobile, AL, with no A/C, like everyone else who lived there did until the 1960's or so.
“Cities are the focus because urban areas are the hotspots of global warming, as they’re hotter than surrounding countryside, with heat trapped and reflected by roads, paved areas and other surfaces.
“There is a solution. Don’t build such dense cities. Spread them out a bit. The water has nowhere to go when it can’t be absorbed into the ground.”
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With all due respect, are you not being credulous here?
This article may as well have been written by the Bee.
its always ‘a few decades from now’ and when that time comes, its always ‘a few more decades from now’
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Yup..... and in other news, “Free Beer Tomorrow!”
Can’t we send them snow-cone machines?
I moved north of the lakes several years ago. We look forward to warmer winters in the coming years.
https://muckrack.com/liz-braun/articles
According to the link above this person is a film critic.
Pffttt!!!
What? 30C is 86F that’s a cool spring day in Texas, 38C is 100F we have months at a time over that temp in Texas the record was 90+ days in a row. 40C is 104F that’s typical August temps for North Texas West Texas hits 115. I have seen 118 in the shade on my back porch in late August. Canadians must be pussies with heat if they are going to be at “lethal” heat at 30 to 40 C
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