Extreme weather seen killing 152,000 Europeans a year by 2100

[rooster59]

Extreme weather seen killing 152,000 Europeans a year by 2100

By Kate Kelland

 

A man pours water on his face to cool off from hot weather in Skopje, Macedonia July 24, 2017. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's death toll from weather disasters could rise 50-fold by the end of this century, with extreme heat alone killing more than 150,000 people a year by 2100 if nothing is done to curb the effects of climate change, scientists said on Friday.

 

In a study in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, the scientists said their findings showed climate change placing a rapidly increasing burden on society, with two in three people in Europe likely to be affected if greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather events are not controlled.

 

The predictions, based on an assumption of no reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and no improvement in policies to reduce the impact of extreme climatic events, show European weather-related deaths rising from 3,000 a year between 1981 and 2010 to 152,000 a year between 2071 and 2100.

 

"Climate change is one of the biggest global threats to human health of the 21st century, and its peril to society will be increasingly connected to weather-driven hazards," said Giovanni Forzieri of the European Commission Joint Research Centre in Italy, who co-led the study.

 

He said that "unless global warming is curbed as a matter of urgency", some 350 million Europeans could be exposed to harmful climate extremes on an annual basis by the end of the century.

 

The study analysed the effects of the seven most harmful types of weather-related disaster – heat waves, cold waves, wildfires, droughts, river and coastal floods and windstorms – in the 28 countries of the European Union, plus Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

 

The team looked at disaster records from 1981 to 2010 to estimate population vulnerability, then combined this with modelling of how climate change might progress and how populations might increase and migrate.

 

Their findings suggested heat waves would be the most lethal weather-related disaster and could cause 99 percent of all future weather-related deaths in Europe – rising from 2,700 deaths a year between 1981 and 2010 to 151,500 deaths a year in 2071 to 2100.

 

The results also predicted a substantial rise in deaths from coastal flooding, from six deaths a year at the start of the century to 233 a year by the end of it.

 

The researchers said climate change would be the main driver, accounting for 90 percent of the risk, while population growth, migration and urbanisation would account for 10 percent.

 

Paul Wilkinson, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who was not involved in the research, said its findings were worrying.

 

"Global warming could result in rapidly rising human impacts unless adequate adaptation measures are taken, with an especially steep rise in the mortality risks of extreme heat," he said.

 

The findings add "further weight to the powerful argument for accelerating mitigation actions" to limit emissions, slow climate change and protect population health, Wilkinson said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-05

[maewang99]

ya mean this climate thing isn't just about it getting a little bit warmer?

people are gonna die?

 

 

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, maewang99 said:

ya mean this climate thing isn't just about it getting a little bit warmer?
people are gonna die?

People are gonna die, no matter what, except maybe Elvis and James Brown.

Seriously tho, whatever it takes to lessen human populations, is good for the planet as a whole.  We are but one species, yet we're despoiling the planet at Herculean speed - while concurrently knocking off other species as fast as we can.   

 

I read that male sperm counts in Europe and N.America are going down dramatically.  It sure isn't a problem in Burma.  I stroll around there, and it seems like every 5 sq. meters, there's an adult holding a darling child.

[KhunBENQ]

I love when the prophets who can't tell you the weather in three days know such numbers for 80 years ahead.

Hot air

 

[overherebc]

When I worked in Italy in the south during the 80's 40+ happened a few times. Saw 44 at one time.  Now on the news it's 40+ in Italy ( today ) and it's being reported as extreme.

Signed,

Confused in Auchenshoogle

( by the sea ).

[maewang99]

boomerangatang,

 

yeah, I'm getting jaded by this too. I'm 61 besides.

let it rip. making ATP isn't any kind of a miracle, all it takes is a plasma of some kind.... an uneven distribution of ions is a given, yup?

( can you guess? I read your logo motto before making a like)   




 

Edited August 5, 2017 by maewang99

[RichardColeman]

i'll be 135 that year, I think the weather will be the least of my problems !

[ilostmypassword]

5 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I love when the prophets who can't tell you the weather in three days know such numbers for 80 years ahead.

Hot air

 

Another poster who doesn't understand the difference between weather and climate.

[KhunBENQ]

17 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Another poster who doesn't understand the difference between weather and climate.

I know very well.

But both professions sit on their big petaflop computers and do model computations.

You believe in the outcome for the next 80 years.

I don't.

Wish I had become a climate researcher.

 

[i claudius]

Another poster who doesn't understand the difference between weather and climate.

And another poster who believes the rubbish that the highly paid experts dole out to keep their money flowing .and the govts agree too so as to keep the taxes coming .

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The researchers said climate change would be the main driver, accounting for 90 percent of the risk, while population growth, migration and urbanisation would account for 10 percent.

Other researchers might have a very different result.

The number one problem for mankind will be excessive population growth.

Much more convincing to me.

 

[canuckamuck]

It won't matter because in 80 years the flying pigs will be trained to regulate the atmosphere.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

I know very well.

But both professions sit on their big petaflop computers and do model computations.

You believe in the outcome for the next 80 years.

I don't.

Wish I had become a climate researcher.

 

Given your glib and unpenetrating observations, I'm relieved you didn't.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Other researchers might have a very different result.

The number one problem for mankind will be excessive population growth.

Much more convincing to me.

 

I do agree 110%. But, as soon as you get involved in any conversation regarding population control and you advocate 2 children per married couple most people fire back with the 'why should anyone tell me how many children I can have'

Plus, and I don't know the answer, how do you start to convince people whose religion advocates having as many children as they want because 'god' will take of them'  

I decided a long time ago not to have children and my wife is of the same mind because we believe it won't be that long before the whole thing comes apart, if you know what I mean.

Everything that sustains life on this very small planet is finite and the curve to it ending is getting steeper by the day.

I may be wrong, and it would be nice if I was, but, I will go with my gut feeling.

I read somewhere a few years ago and I can't remember who wrote it, but it was on the lines of   'until all humans realise they are all and just one small part of the  most effective virus that has infested this originally pristine planet then they will pass into history like the dinosaurs.

Edited August 5, 2017 by overherebc

[Ulic]

There will be a growing demand for air conditioning it Europe and that is

about it.

[Stargeezr]

If we believe every word that Al Gore or some other supposed climate genius says, then we are all doomed.    However I am one of those who does not believe that we all need an electric car to save the planet.      We also do not need to be paying a carbon tax either.  Countries like India have to stop building coal fired power plants. Countries like China need to modernize their factories as well as India, Russia, even the USA.  Quit having the cheaper countries like Mexico build giant factories and keep the industry in

the USA etc.  Maybe the extreme weather in India and some other places will have the super bugs killed off by the heat as well.  Okay wishful thinking on my part.

Geezer