At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Donald Trump called climate change a hoax and a “con job.” The huckster is Trump and much of humanity is going to suffer because of his decisions.
The number of people living under extreme heat conditions is expected to more than double by 2050 if current global warming trends continue. Currently 1.54 billion people, almost a quarter of the world’s population in 2010 live under extreme heat conditions for part of the year. That is expected to climb to 3.79 billion, 41% of the projected world population in 2050. The study was conducted by climate scientists at Oxford University in the UK.
The tropics and Southern hemisphere will be worst affected by rising heat prompting desperate climate refugees to defy immigration barriers and travel north into the United States and Western Europe. In the United States and Europe poorer families that cannot afford air conditioning will be victimized by rising temperatures that pose challenges to health systems, energy supplies and the economy.
As temperatures soar, worker will face increased risks of hypothermia, dehydration, kidney malfunction, and neurological problems. Daytime temperatures in India and Pakistan with populations in the hundreds of millions already frequently exceed 120°F during intense heatwaves. At 120°F, sweat evaporates too quickly to cool the body causing internal temperatures to rise above 104°F producing life-threatening conditions. When temperatures reach 125°F people are in extreme danger suffering confusion, nausea, dizziness, and fainting as the body struggles to manage intense thermal stress. Skin can burn in under 2 minutes. Heart rate increases rapidly as blood flows to the surface in an effort to promote to cooling. Spikes in the heart rate can trigger a heart attack. In 2024, a heat wave killed over 568 people in Southern Pakistan.
More people will go hungry as crop production declines and food prices soar. Weather will be erratic and rainfall unpredictable. Rising sea levels will threaten coastal agriculture as saltwater seeps into aqua filters and deltas. Soil will dry out. Weeds, insects, and plant diseases will expand their range, increasing crop loss. Just as it impacts humans, heat will stress livestock. According to some estimates, available calories from agricultural production will decline by 25%. The economy will suffer along with the workforce as productivity is expected to decline by between 2 and 3% for every 2 degrees the thermometer rises above 70.
We already know that extreme weather events and environmental disasters accompany global warming. Higher temperatures increase evaporation from ocean waters and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture intensifying storms and increasing flood risks. Winter storms will be more severe with heavier snow accumulation. In the summer, higher temperatures cause forest fire seasons to start earlier, last longer, and burn hotter and faster.
This is the fifth in a series of recent Daily Kos posts on climate change.
1.Climate Change is Not Just Happening Far Away
2. Siberia’s Explosive Methane Farts
3. Climate Warning: The Winters of 1739-1749 and 1740-1741
4. Donald Trump Declares War on Planet Earth
