Trend Hotter, drier summers bringing heat illness, drought and wildfire

Summary

In the short term, the report expects hotter and drier summers could bring more illness and death linked to heat. It also mentions disruption to transport, droughts, water shortages and a rise in wildfires. The report holds that each increment of warming makes hazards such as heatwaves and droughts more frequent, threatening public health, lives, infrastructure and ecosystems. Older people, children, low-income households and those in poor health are hit hardest by temperature change. Urban areas with little green space are more exposed to heat and flooding. Over the longer term, the report suggests that urban planning which puts green space first could build resilience to climate change.