Summer is once again fast approaching, and while we look forward to hotter days, the threat of heatwaves, of summers becoming too hot and too dry, are becoming real each year. Since June 2023, every month has been the hottest on record globally. Earlier this year, some parts of India reached temperatures close to 50°C. A study by Oxford University found that “extremely hot days are warming twice as fast as average summer days in North-West Europe." The science is clear: heatwaves are going to become hotter, longer, and more frequent — and their impacts range from crop production and food security to the health and safety of a population.
Climate change and increased heatwaves
Heat can be fatal. The 2024 Indian heatwaves have reached temperatures that are outside the liveability range for humans and have already caused 90 deaths, with the final toll expected to be much higher. These deadly heatwaves will increase significantly in the future as our climate warms, leading to large regions across the world being uninhabitable for several weeks or months, annually. Keeping cool will become critical – a matter of life or death.
The heat also has an impact on businesses. There can be supply chain disruptions and critical infrastructure disturbances – alongside these serious health implications. Businesses need to understand which of their assets are likely to be affected by extreme temperatures so they can plan, adapt, avoid revenue loss, and protect their workers from harm.
The impacts of heatwaves
2023 saw extreme heatwaves, with July of last year being the hottest on record, with some places in China reaching 52.2C and California reaching 53.3°C. Data from Allianz show that 2023’s heatwave alone cost the world up to 0.6% of our combined GDP. Further to this, the IPCC’s Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability report highlights that temperatures will continue to increase above pre-industrial levels without substantial decarbonization. The cost of extreme weather is evident, and the worst is yet to come.
Climate change is pushing cities into climate zones that their infrastructure simply isn’t designed for. Extreme heat will not only put pressure on a building’s cooling system, but it can also affect the materials it’s made from. Rising temperatures break down polymers (thermal aging) affecting plastic, and when combined with increased rainfall, extreme temperatures can speed up metal corrosion, and weathering of brick and stone which can weaken the steel structure within a building's concrete exterior.
Those employed to build, maintain and manage these infrastructures can also be affected by extreme heat. Heatwaves can drastically impact workers productivity, and outside work especially can become highly dangerous for workers' health. A scientific paper published this year quantified that humid heat may currently be associated with over 650 billion hours of annual lost labor worldwide. This number has been increasing over the last decades and will continue to rise with higher global temperatures.
When coupled with drought, extreme heat is associated with a devastating amount of crop failures and cattle losses. To mitigate this, it is essential for businesses to have a diversified supply chain where every link understands their climate risks, and has adaptation measures in place. Where this is not the case, businesses must seek alternative partners.
Building resilience to heatwaves into infrastructures and ecosystems
For organizations to be resilient in the face of current climate change – it is crucial to assess infrastructure and building vulnerability. It pays to be proactive. According to the Global Commission on Adaptation, “climate-proofing existing infrastructure and building new infrastructure that is more climate resilient makes sound economic sense – on average, the benefits outweigh costs by 4:1”. In Europe alone, this will create around 500,000 additional jobs by 2050.
Climate must be considered at every stage of a business from designing and planning to maintaining infrastructure and ecosystems. Complex, fragmented, and often siloed climate data made it almost impossible for organizations to understand their climate risk and plan for climates accordingly. EarthScan - asset-level intelligence on climate risk to inform decision-making - provides infrastructure owners and operators visibility of every asset they manage or rely on and offers actionable insights across multiple possible futures.
Taking effective climate action begins with seeing and sharing the climate risk we face with multiple stakeholders internally or externally. The growing onset of heatwaves is just one climate hazard organizations may need to prepare for. With EarthScan, entire business ecosystems can act on its decision-ready insights, make informed decisions, and so start building resilience to multiple climate hazards presented by our changing climate.
