Philippines logs hottest June-Aug. period since 1970 — study

THE Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors experienced temperatures at least three times hotter, more likely because of climate change between June and August, according to a global study.

The Philippines and Singapore experienced their hottest June-July-August period since at least 1970, United States-based Climate Central said in a recent study sent to BusinessWorld via e-mail.

Nearly all of the populations of the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam were exposed to temperatures that “represent a potential risk to human health for at least a week, made three times as likely because of climate change,” it added.

It said Thailand and Vietnam saw such conditions for 52 and 46 days, respectively.

“Over two-thirds of the Thai and Indonesian populations were exposed to similar health-threatening temperatures.”

The study, which quantifies the impact of climate change on temperatures and estimates the number of people affected by these extreme conditions in 1,200 cities, said Southeast Asia was the region with most people on the planet exposed to climate change-influenced temperatures for at least 60 days in June, July, and August.

“During these months, over 204 million people experienced temperatures made at least five times more likely because of climate change,” it said.

It said over 2 billion people or 25% of the global population experienced 30 or more days of risky heat amid the changing climate.

The study said the peak of global heat was on Aug. 13, when more than 4 billion people faced unusual temperatures “made at least three times more likely by climate change.”

“During this record-breaking season, when 72 countries broke their heat record for the June-August period, few urban areas escaped the impacts of carbon pollution, mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels,” it said.

It said the average person experienced 17 extra days of “risky heat” around the world because of climate change, representing a potential risk to global health. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza