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14/06/2022 |

Press release

IFRC and C40 Cities urge cities to prepare for more dangerous and deadly heat waves

14 June 2022, Geneva, New York—Heat waves are becoming more frequent, longer, hotter and deadlier, especially in urban areas, but the threats they pose are preventable if cities and residents are prepared for extreme heat and take steps to save lives. The past seven years, from 2015 to 2021, have been the hottest on record and this year is already a punishing one. The life-threatening temperature spikes seen in recent months across India, Pakistan, East Asia and southern Europe and this week’s unusually intense, early-season heat wave gripping parts of the United States are an ominous sign of what is to come as the world gets warmer. Every year, increasingly scorching temperatures put millions of people at risk of heat-related illnesses and claim the lives of thousands of others. People living in cities are hardest hit because urban areas are warmer than the surrounding countryside and are getting hotter due to climate change. Those most at risk are already vulnerable—the elderly and isolated, infants, pregnant women, those with pre-existing ailments and the urban poor, who often work outdoors or live and work in buildings without air conditioning or adequate ventilation. But deaths from heat waves are not inevitable. Five billion people live in places that are prone to heat waves and where early warning systems can predict them before they happen. “Heat waves are the silent killers of climate change, but they don’t have to be,” says Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). “Most heat waves are forecast days or weeks in advance, giving ample time to act early and inform and protect the most vulnerable. The good news is that there are simple and low-cost actions authorities can take to prevent unnecessary deaths from heat.” Ahead of the summer season in many parts of the world, IFRC is launching its first global Heat Action Day, today, 14 June—mobilizing branches and partners in over 50 cities to hold awareness-raising events about ways to reduce severe impacts of extreme heat. The IFRC is also partnering with C40 Cities to call on city officials, urban planners, and city residents in every region of the world to prepare for more dangerous and deadly heat waves. “Cities that are used to hot weather need to prepare for even longer periods of sweltering heat and cooler cities need to prepare for levels of extreme heat that they are not accustomed to,” says Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities. “From Miami to Mumbai and Athens to Abidjan, mayors in our network are increasing green spaces, expanding cool roof programmes and collaborating on heat actions to improve resilience to rising urban heat. But far more work is needed to reduce andmanage risks as the climate crisis worsens.” TheC40 Cool Cities Networksupports cities to embed heat risk and management in their climate action plans, develop heat resilience studies, and develop, fine-tune and measure impacts of heat mitigation action, including cooling, greening and emergency management.The network has held intensive workshops on urban heat and equity, developed resources to guide heat action plans and, over the past two years, supported cities in managing the compound crises of extreme heat alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on outreach to vulnerable populations. Across the globe, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are rising to the extreme heat challenge—supporting and improving local and national heat action plans, spreading messages to the public on heat safety, checking in on the most vulnerable, distributing water, supporting medical services, identifying and setting up cooling centres, and even helping people retrofit their homes to improve shade and reduce heat. They’re also expanding research on heat to parts of Africa, Asia and South America that have been overlooked in the past. “The climate crisis is driving and intensifying humanitarian crisis in every region of the world,” says Rocca. “But when cities and communities are better prepared, extreme weather doesn’t have to become a disaster or a tragedy.” Note to Editors: IFRC’s “Heat Wave Guide for Cities” and “Urban Action Kit” are resources for city officials, urban planners and community organizations to anticipate and plan for extreme urban heat and reduce deadly risks. C40’s “Urban Cooling Toolbox” provides approaches to lower urban temperatures and reduce the impact of the urban heat effect; the “Heat Resilient Cities Benefit Tool” helps city planners and decision-makers quantify the health, economic and environmental benefits of adaptation actions. A heat wave is an extended period of unusually high temperatures and often high humidity. Extreme heat can cause shock, dehydration and other acute illnesses, and worsen cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. There is now a mountain of evidence that climate change is increasing the occurrence of deadly heat waves. Scientists have concluded that climate change has made the 2022 heat wave in India and Pakistan 30 times more likely, the 2019 heat wave in western Europe 100 times more likely and the 2019-20 heat wave in Australia 10 times more likely. Images and Video for use by media outlets: Follow thisTwitter thread to access videos and photos of global Heat Action Day events. Heat emergency response images can be accessedhere For more information or 1:1 interviews, contact: IFRC: Melissa Winkler, [email protected], +41 76 2400 324 IFRC: Tommaso Della Longa, [email protected], +41 79 708 43 67 C40 Cities: Rolf Rosenkranz, [email protected] IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives, build community resilience, strengthen localization and promote dignity around the world.www.ifrc.org - Facebook-Twitter-YouTube C40 Citiesis a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities.www.C40.org-Twitter-Instagram-Facebook-LinkedIn

14/05/2024 |

Press release

Searing temperatures sweep like fire across Asia Pacific, causing distress for millions

Kuala Lumpur / Yangon / Dhaka / GenevaAs scorching heatwaves sweep across the Asia Pacific region and countries hit record-breaking temperatures, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that millions of people including children, the elderly, outdoor labourers and individuals with low immunity and pre-existing conditions are at very high risk. National Societies in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Malaysia, Philippines and more are already responding with urgent initiatives to help and relieve people through this relentless heat.Climate change is, in large part, to blame. A report released today by World Weather Attribution, a scientific group supported by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, found all these heatwaves have been driven by climate change. The Philippines heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without human-induced climate change. Across South Asia, heatwaves have become about 45 times more likely and almost a full degree Celsius hotter because of climate change. In coming years WWA finds that heatwaves in Asia will become even more severe and frequent. Moe Thida Win, MRCS Deputy Director of Disaster Management Department says:"The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is responding to heatwaves by sharing efficient ways to prevent heat risks through education and awareness-raising, in Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, Magway, Yangon, Bago and Tanintharyi regions and Kayin and Mon States. This includes distributing brochures and posters, oral rehydration solutions, clean water, and towels to help people cool down at crowded places across the country.Access to clean water remains a daily challenge in certain areas of Myanmar and MRCS is meeting this need by delivering essential drinking water supplies.” The extreme temperature of 48.2°C was recorded in Chauk in central Myanmar's Magway region on 28 April. According to Department of Meteorology and Hydrology of Myanmar, the highest temperature seen Naung-U, Minbu and Sagaing in Myanmar in April since records began 56 years ago, with a devastating impact on migrants and vulnerable populations, many millions of whom are already in humanitarian need.“On top of this, cash assistance is being provided to over 250 low-income families from Shwe Pyi Thar, Dala, and Dagon Seikkan townships in Yangon, with support from German Red Cross. These families include daily labourers working under the sun, families with disabilities, and families with infants or elderly members. Additionally, MRCS is planning to install three cooling stations in these townships for resting areas.”In the month of April, The Philippines reported having 118 cities and municipalities in a state of calamity because of the El Niño phenomenon. This prompted the national government to suspend classes at various levels. Meanwhile, 31 areas in Malaysia, have been issued a level one heatwave alert - 35 deg C and 37 deg C for three consecutive days.In Bangladesh, heat-related fatalities and cases of dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, fatigue, vomiting, fever, fainting, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and sunstroke are on the rise.On 29 April, Dhaka recorded its second highest temperature in six decades, reaching a scorching 40.6°C (105.1°F). With the average highest temperatures usually around 33.2°C (91.8°F), this year has seen increases of up to 6°C (10.8°F). Meteorologists forecast that the extreme heat will continue into May, necessitating ongoing vigilance and support for impacted communities. The current and prolonged heatwave is the longest since records began in 1948.Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society said:“We are observing first-hand the critical conditions faced by outdoor workers like rickshaw pullers and construction workers who are significantly impacted. This heatwave undoubtedly represents a new and exceptionally dramatic event, the likes of which we have not witnessed in the past 76 years. Alerts are now in place in 57 out of 64 districts, affecting approximately 120 to 125 million people.“The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, along with the IFRC, is fully engaged and on the ground in urban areas, distributing water, saline packets, and essential supplies, and providing first aid to ensure that no one is left behind during this critical time.”Action on extreme heat is an increasing part of the work facing the IFRC and its network. In March, the IFRC and partner USAID jointly held an Extreme Heat Summit on the threat of extreme heat worldwide. That led to an extreme heat online ‘hub’ for people to share ideas to tackle the issue. The IFRC-led Heat Action Day, on 2 June, will put a renewed focus on the dangers extreme heat poses and how city officials and others can best #BeatTheHeat.USAID and IFRC are calling on governments, multilateral development banks, private funds and philanthropy, civil society, youth, and students to take action around the globe to help prepare countries and communities for extreme heat and to increase resilience to the impacts that cannot be avoided.For more information or to request an interview, please contact [email protected] Yangon: Swe Zin Myo Win [email protected] In Bangladesh:Areefa Sinha, +8801970089077Al-Shahriar Rupam, +8801761775075 In Kaula Lumpur:Afrhill Rances, +60192713641 In Geneva:Andrew Thomas: +41763676587

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Americas Region Plan 2021

Heat Action Day

Delhi Cluster Plan 2022

IFRC and C40 Cities urge cities to prepare for more dangerous and deadly heat waves

Indonesia plan 2023

Pakistan Plan 2021

Bangladesh plan 2023

Uganda Plan 2021

Democratic Republic of the Congo 2023 Plan

Southern Africa Cluster Plan 2021

Haiti 2023 Plan

Libya Plan 2022

IFRC Global Plan 2025

World Disasters Report 2014

Searing temperatures sweep like fire across Asia Pacific, causing distress for millions

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