Cities around the world face longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves as the planet warms up. But limiting climate change as much as possible could significantly dampen the impacts, scientists say.
New analysis from the research nonprofit World Resources Institute warns the difference between 1.5 degrees and 3 degrees Celsius of global warming is formidable when it comes to city heat.
At 1.5 degrees, the longest heat waves likely would average around 16.3 days, and a typical city might see 4.9 events each year. Around 3 percent of cities worldwide could see a heat wave each year lasting at least a month.
But at 3 degrees, city heat waves could last an average of 24.5 days with 6.4 events annually. And 16 percent of global cities might see a month-long heat wave every year.
