How Heat Waves Affect Our Lives

Harava Rahardjo ’25

Natalie Poole ’25

Heatwaves are severely high temperatures that last from a few days to a few weeks, often accompanied by abnormally high humidity. These scorching, burning, and dreadful intervals are on the rise, and they will only get worse. Reports of new heat waves have been circling the news over the past summer months worldwide. But what makes these heat waves so dangerous? What’s making it get worse? In short, climate change. 

Extreme weather was responsible for 166,000 deaths between 1998 and 2017 (World Health Organization, 2018).  Usually, the human body regulates its internal temperature through sweating and shivering, but the recent increase in the intensity of heat waves poses a risk to this process. The significant escalation in intensity and frequency of heat waves globally is due to climate change. Many European countries, including Great Britain, were victims of this abnormal weather this summer, which endured an “alarming high of 104 degrees Fahrenheit” (Taylor, 2022). 

Due to heat waves, individuals can suffer from heat strokes, dehydration, or heat cramps, with symptoms ranging from fatigue, thirst, and dizziness to seizures, fainting, and even death. These symptoms are even more severe for children and the elderly. In the U.S., death rates have risen in major cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia during heatwaves (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Alongside, heatwaves further weaken those that are disabled, pregnant, or suffer from chronic diseases relating to the respiratory, cardiovascular, or renal systems. Individuals such as outdoor workers, the homeless, and athletes are in greater danger due to prolonged exposure to extreme heat. 

In the past, not only has this abnormal weather affected the livelihood of the general public, but it has also impacted society’s infrastructure. One example was within the plane industry at the London Luton Airport, where many flights were delayed or canceled due to runway damages caused by the heat. Agriculture has required more irrigation and cooling methods to prevent crops from dying, while civilians have needed more energy for indoor cooling ​​(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d.). Another problem for many European countries is air conditioning (AC), as less than 5% of houses in countries like Britain, France, and Germany have AC, compared to roughly 90% in the US (Taylor, 2022). Historically, the weather in these nations was not extreme enough to necessitate air conditioning. Even when the temperatures were high, the humidity remained bearable. However, the recent rise of heat waves places most of the population without air conditioning at risk. 

Overall, greenhouse gas emissions have severely disrupted weather patterns; heat waves are emerging and increasing around the globe, presenting another dilemma. Indoor cooling systems, a method of alleviating heat, also play a role in exacerbating the situation, as it accounts for 10% of global electricity use and nearly 4% of the annual greenhouse gas emissions (Woods et al., 2022, p. 726). How should people stay cool without aggravating climate change? Although the solution is unclear, by alleviating climate change in any way we can, periods of extreme weather will hopefully become contained. 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Extreme heat waves can impact our health in many ways

[Illustration]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/pubs/extreme-heat-final_508.pdf 

Josephs, L. (2022, July 18). Flights briefly suspended at London airport after runway damaged during heat wave.

CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/18/london-flights-suspended-after-runway-damaged-during-heat-wave.html 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). During a Heat Wave. Weather.gov.

https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-during 

Taylor, A. (2022, July 20). Why European homes (usually) don't have air conditioning. The Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/20/europe-uk-air-conditioning-ac/ 

Woods, J., James, N., Kozubal, E., Bonnema, E., Brief, K., Voeller, L., & Rivest, J. (2022). Humidity's impact on

greenhouse gas emissions from air conditioning. Joule, 6(4), 726-741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2022.02.013 

World Health Organization. (2018, June 1). Heat and health. World Health Organization.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-heat-and-health