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60,000 People Died from Blistering European Heat Waves, New Analysis Finds (www.scientificamerican.com)

submitted 1 year ago by RickRussell_CA@beehaw.org to c/science@beehaw.org

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Excerpt:

More than 61,000 people died because of Europe’s record-shattering heat wave last summer, scientists have concluded. And that’s probably still an underestimation.

The figure is just shy of the 70,000 excess deaths researchers attribute to another exceptional heat wave that swept Europe in 2003. That disaster helped raise awareness about the dangers of climate change and the continent’s general lack of heat action plans.

Yet the new findings suggest that in the two decades since, efforts to prepare for a hotter future and protect the continent’s most vulnerable populations have fallen short.

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[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Tens of thousands of people died during intense heat waves in Europe last summer, indicating that heat prevention plans aren’t protecting vulnerable populations

I can't help wondering if that's intentional. Vulnerable populations tend to consist of people that the rich consider undesirable…

[–] alyaza@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I can’t help wondering if that’s intentional.

i don't think so, no. the reason i think that is the people who study this stuff for a living are being taken aback at how quickly things are changing--and if they're surprised, it's inevitable breakdowns like this will happen because everyone else is moving slower than them.

just in general, most places are woefully underprepared for a changing climate, and a lot of it is not caused by malice somewhere in the chain. it's largely a combination of conservatism (both political and climatological), lack of political will, lack of resources, and just how quickly things are changing.

[–] reric88@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago

It's an unpopular opinion, but I wish the world would share with the world. It's a lot to ask I guess, but man, imagine how quickly we could progress as a species if everyone in the world truly had the same chance at life.

I'd pay for my neighbors bills if I knew I'd have my bills paid for when I absolutely needed it.