Heat wave puts millions of Americans in southern states at risk

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
13 Aug 2023 21:30

Americans who migrated to southern states for low costs of living are faced with the climate risk of scorching heat waves.

The setting sun is shrouded in hazy clouds as it sets beyond downtown Kansas City, Monday, June 13, 2011. (AP)

The sweltering heat wave sweeping across the Sunbelt region of the United States (which is constituted by southern states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas) is afflicting the millions who flocked to this fast-growing area over the past decade with record-breaking temperatures and escalating climate risks.

The Sunbelt, characterized by its warmer climate and often lower living costs, has become a magnet for Americans seeking cheaper costs of living. This migration has fueled rapid population growth, with around 75% of the nation's recent population increase attributed to this region. However, the current heat wave has exposed the perilous reality of climate change in these newly favored areas.

Cities like Phoenix and Miami are experiencing unprecedented high temperatures, with Phoenix setting multiple all-time heat records in July and Miami undergoing its most severe heat wave on record. While the heat is particularly extreme this year, the trend suggests that future summers could bring even higher temperatures, intensifying the existing risks.

The phenomenon underscores a significant dilemma. Many of the Sunbelt's fastest-growing metropolitan areas are also some of the most vulnerable due to climate change. Some grapple with water scarcity, while others lie in the path of hurricanes and natural disasters.

Parag Khanna, CEO of Climate Alpha, a startup focusing on climate resilience, highlights the critical concern not just about current temperatures, but also the trajectory of future heatwaves. As extreme weather events become more frequent, the impacts on housing markets are anticipated to be significant.

As this record-breaking heatwave unveils the intersection of climate migration and environmental challenges, experts emphasize that adaptation strategies and sustainable development will be key to ensuring the safety, well-being, and economic stability of Sunbelt communities in the face of an evolving climate landscape.

Last week, the climate observatory of the European Union declared that July was the hottest month ever measured on Earth.

The previous month, which was 0.33 degrees Celsius warmer than the record set in July 2019 when the average temperature was 16.63C (32 Fahrenheit), was characterized by heatwaves and fires all around the world, it said.

The use of fossil fuels has contributed to an increase in global temperature of about 1.2 degrees Celsius since the late 1800s, which has increased heatwave length, intensity, and frequency.

"Heatwaves were experienced in multiple regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including southern Europe. Well-above average temperatures occurred over several South American countries and around much of Antarctica," the EU climate observatory Copernicus said. The month of July might set a new record, according to scientists.