Due to extreme temperatures and humidity, more than 150 billion work hours were lost in 2018. According to research published in The Lancet, this pattern will have adverse global implications.

UCL professor of Earth system science Mark Maslin says, “As the world warms, there will be more and more days when it will be physically impossible to work outside, reducing productivity and food security.”

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According to a study published in 2021, climate change is responsible for one out of every three deaths due to severe heat since 1991.

Chloe Brimicombe, a PhD candidate at the University of Reading who studies climate change and its effects on human health, provided some tips for staying safe.

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Tips to survive the heatwave-

1. If you’re inside, soak your feet in cold water or take a shower.

2. Close the drapes and open the windows on the side of the house that does not face the sun.

3. Keep doors open to allow air to circulate in the building whenever possible.

4. Drink more frequently than usual, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

5. Avoid being in direct sunlight between the hours of 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

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How can a heatwave be reduced on a bigger scale?

There are opportunities to make streets more comfortable during periods of extreme heat in cities, where an increasing share of the global population lives.

One of the most popular, with far-reaching potential benefits for wildlife seeking habitat, is urban greening, which is making more room for trees and other vegetation.

Concrete and steel absorb and retain heat, whereas sealed surfaces “can’t act like a sponge to absorb heat and store rain, unlike the soil they’ve replaced,” according to Cardiff University’s Mark Cuthbert.

According to a report released during COP26, the most recent UN climate change summit in November 2021, Africa is heating up faster than the rest of the world.

According to Abu Mohiddin, an assistant professor at Aga Khan University in Kenya, the continent requires immediate financial and technological assistance.

Traditional architectural designs and building techniques can provide some of the cheapest and most sustainable forms of heat relief.

Narrow streets and alleys maximize shadows allowing airflow while keeping the Sun‘s heat out.