This summer heat is deadly

Extreme temperatures are killing many thousands of people, and increasing the need for urgent action to minimise the impact of global warming.

Researchers studying the records of temperature-related deaths in 35 European countries have concluded that last year the number reached 47,690. Among the worst- affected countries were Italy, Germany, Spain, and Portugal. Last year was the hottest in Europe on record. We await this year’s full statistics.

Two years ago, the heat in Portugal was estimated to have claimed the lives of 1,063 people in less than a fortnight between July 7 and 18, according to the Portuguese Health Ministry. These mortalities occurred during one of Portugal’s worst heat waves on record, which spiked at 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit)

By mid-July this year, greater adaptability in Portugal had kept deaths due to heat at an estimated 600. Much relief has come to individuals since the introduction of the Portuguese Contingency Heat Wave Plan.

Mainland Portugal used to be regarded as having a mild Mediterranean climate. However, the number of days of extreme heat has been rising, and is projected to rise further, due to climate change. This means that the risk of increased heat-related mortality is likely to rise further unless strong counter measures are in place. The elderly and urban populations are the most vulnerable, but they are significantly helped by heat warnings and cooling advice issued by the contingency plan every year from May to September

Temperatures in the Azores archipelago are generally lower than on the mainland, but have been higher than usual throughout this summer, reaching 30 degrees Celsius this week.

Global warming is predicted to have a negative impact on the Azores in terms of precipitation as well as temperatures. Edwardo Brito de Azevedo, a climatologist at  the University of the Azores, has been quoted by RTP Azores as saying, “it is necessary to adapt crops to a new reality, and review working hours.”

Air temperatures in Portugal’s other autonomous island territory, Madeira, usually do not exceed the lower 20s C , but on 27 June this year local thermometers shattered previous records and hit 30.1 degrees Celsius. This was due to the passage of a hot and dry tropical air mass, according to the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere.

The oceans are extremely warm worldwide at present Average temperatures have reportedly been at record levels every month since April last year. This abnormal situation is believed to be caused by a combination of climate change and El Nino, and to be fuelling hurricanes in the Atlantic.

The Earth’s overall average temperatures have risen by about 1.1 C, (nearly 34 F) per decade since 1850. The rate of warming since 1982 has been almost three times as fast:

Climate change is having both direct and indirect impacts on health issues including cardiovascular and other cardiometabolic diseases, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, reproductive and maternal health, oncology, and mental health.

Between 2030 and 2050 scientists predict that climate change will cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths each year due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress, alone.

Of course this is alarming, so each individual, and well as each community and national leader, must act as best as possible, and act now.

Written by Len Port

Edited by Catriona Anderson

Proofed by Roger Nuttall. 

Public consultation open for the development plans for Albandeira, on the Lagoa coast

 

The municipality of Lagoa has recently opened a period of public consultation for the proposed Detailed Plans of the Albandeira ATE A1 and ATE A2 projects, which form part of the UP 12 Urbanization Plan for the area. These plans outline the construction of a large urban development comprising a mixture of hotels, aparthotels and villas offering 1,030 beds in the picturesque landscape of the as-of-yet unspoilt Praia de Albandeira area, in Caramujeira. This area is characterised by a countryside-meets-sea setting, with small cove beaches and caves flanked by stunning natural landscapes.

 

The municipality is calling for public participation until the 12^th August 2024, with a view to then formalise the acceptance of the development plans proposed by the project promoters. A deadline of 9 months has been established for completion of the approval procedure, although it may possibly be concluded by the end of the current year. The present elaboration of the detailed plans includes adjustments made to the strategy and objectives defined in the UP 12 urbanisation plan approved in 2008.  

 

Anyone who wishes to participate  can consult the terms of reference, planning contract and Strategic Environmental Assessment Reports available on the Lagoa City Council website (www.cm-lagoa.pt -> Noticias  -> Avisos ATE A1 e ATE A2), and at the  Balcão Único of the Câmara Municipal de Lagoa. 

To obtain more information and voice your opinion, you can log your participation in person at the Balcão Único at the Municipal Town Hall.

The Algarve’s water crisis worsens

Barlavento reservoir

Reservoir levels in the Algarve have fallen agai n, coinciding with global temperatures approaching record highs.

The amount of water stored in all the Algarve’s river basins fell in June and again in July. The Barlavento basin in the western Algarve is the worst affected, with a level now below 20%. The Arade in the central Algarve fell from 40.8% in June to 37.8% last month. 

The situation is much better in the east of the region. The Guadiana basin is 83.35% full, and the Mondego reservoir has a level of 85.5%.

Official meteorological statistics show that at the end of June the south of Portugal was suffering extreme drought, while the intensity was more moderate in the cities of Beja and Evora in the Alentejo, as well as part of the districts of Setubal, south of Lisbon.

Current temperatures in the Algarve are fairly mild compared to other Portuguese places in the past. Portugal's highest recorded temperature is just above 47.4 degrees Celsius (117.32 Fahrenheit). Normal summer temperatures in the Algarve stay in the mid-30s °C, but sometimes soar towards 40 °C (104 °F). 

On Sunday, July 21, the world experienced its hottest day on record. Just 24 hours later that record was broken,  marking the hottest recorded in thousands of years.

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has been able to accurately reveal this as they have developed a scientific technique for assessing historical temperatures. The technique can be used in a variety of helpful ways, including suggesting the best spots to place wind farms and letting homeowners know how much their solar panels might generate. 

Severe heat waves cause hundreds, if not thousands of deaths across Europe, the United States, and Asia. The United States Embassy in Lisbon has issued a warning to American summer visitors to Portugal to be careful of the possible consequences of being outdoors in the local heat.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. It is rising roughly twice the global average, according to official data. The hottest places on the planet just now are in parts of countries including Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Pakistan. The biggest problem of all is the failure of humans to properly control climate change.

While the Algarve is at the peak of its wildfire season, all units of fire brigades, police forces, and various volunteer groups are on constant standby to deal with any outbreaks. So far, such outbreaks have been most severe in Alberta, Canada, and parts of California. There are currently about 100 large wildfires raging in California. One of them is the worst in Californian history. 

The existential threat of global warming does not seem to be nearly as important to many world leaders nowadays as spiralling knife and gun violence, and international wars.

However, Bloomberg Green has just come up with some good news: “Last year, the world invested $1.8 trillion in climate tech. Much of that went toward renewable energy and electrifying transport, climate tech sectors that are relatively mature. Pioneers — a program that’s run for more than a decade — focuses on areas where innovation is most needed, ranging from reducing buildings’ carbon footprints and developing clean fuels.”

The United Nations Secretary-General and former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres recently delivered a special address on climate action in which he warned that we have only 18 months to save the world.

Pulling back from the brink “is still just about possible”, he continued, but only if we fight harder. It all depends on decisions taken by political leaders during this decade.”

 

Writen by Len Port,

Edited by Catriona Anderson.

Proofed by Roger Nuttall.