By increasing the odds of a wide range of extreme events, global warming also increases the chances that they will come in waves. Cities suffering now at least know what to expect—but leaders need to take the issue seriously
It is not just the United States, where 100m people are under heat-advisory notices, that is suffering. There is currently a spate of such heatwaves around the world. Much of the Mediterranean is in similar straits, with temperatures exceeding 40°C from Madrid to Cairo . In Beijing July 18th saw a 23-year-old record broken by a 27th consecutive day with a maximum temperature above 35°C.
There are things to do as soon as the mercury rises. Get homeless people to cooling stations; encourage people to look in on elderly neighbours and relatives ; make it possible for those who must work outside to do so very early in the morning; put hospitals on an emergency footing. The appointment ofempowered to co-ordinate such things in American cities, and farther afield, is a welcome trend.
There are also things to be done in advance. It is crucial to work out where the people at greatest risk live. One thing that can help is deciding where to plant trees, which both provide shade and, as water evaporates through their leaves, cool the air.
All these measures are easier to take when a city has resources to devote to them. In the developing world, where a lack of air conditioning makes heat all the more deadly, such resources are scarce. All the more need for leaders to take the issue seriously and for local politicians to see cooling plans as a way to compete for votes. Unfortunately, such a strategy works best in places where voters have already felt the consequences of failing to act.
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