360 million people will be exposed to extreme heat in 142 Indian cities by 2050

A number of organizations have come up with new research recently according to which, a record 360 million people will be exposed to extreme heat in 142 Indian cities by 2050 if global warming continues.

The research report, titled “The Future We Don’t Want - How climate change could impact the world’s greatest cities” predicts how many urban residents will face potentially devastating heat waves, flooding and droughts by 2050 if global warming continues on its current trajectory. It also looks at indirect climate impacts and estimates how climate change under a “business-as-usual scenario” will impact urban food security and energy systems as well as the urban poor, who are most vulnerable to climate change.

Many of the findings are on cities in India. They say that, by 2050:

• 1.6 billion people living in over 970 cities globally, will be regularly exposed to extreme high temperatures, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur and Kolkata
• Over 800 million people, living in 570 cities globally will be vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal flooding, including Chennai and Mumbai
• 650 million people, in over 500 cities globally are at risk of water shortages due to climate change, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur & Kolkata
• 2.5 billion people will be living in over 1,600 cities globally where national food supply is threatened by climate change, including Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai
• The power supply affecting 470 million people, in over 230 cities globally, will be vulnerable to sea level rise, including Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai
• 215 million poor urban residents, living in slum areas in over 490 cities, will face increasing climate risks.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        “The Future We Don’t Want - How climate change could impact the world’s greatest cities” also contains concrete examples of bold climate solutions that cities are delivering, which, if adopted at-scale, could help prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

The research was launched at the Adaptation Futures conference in Cape Town, where representatives of cities around the world are sharing ideas on how to prepare and adapt their cities for the effects of climate change.

Many of the solutions being delivered by cities, as well as regional governments, investors and businesses to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, will be showcased at the Global Climate Action Summit, taking place in San Francisco, September 12-14, 2018.