The heat is increasing, millions of elderly people face danger

By 2050, the elderly group will account for nearly a quarter of the world's population. This group of people will suffer many negative impacts due to warming weather.

A study published in the journal Nature Communications said that by 2050, it is estimated that the world will have an additional 246 million elderly people (ages 69 and older).

This group of people, equivalent to 23%, or nearly a quarter of the world's population, will face danger from severe heat waves with temperatures estimated to exceed 37.5⁰ C in the next decade.

"Both the frequency and intensity of heat waves will increase due to climate change," said Giacomo Falchetta, a climate change researcher at the Euro-Mediterranean Climate Change Center. Specifically, the number of days per year exceeding 37.5⁰ C from an average of 10 days, will increase to about 20 days.

An elderly man struggles with the heat in Beijing in July 2023 (Photo: AFP).

According to Andrew Chang, an epidemiologist from Stanford University (USA), this has a big impact on older people, because they tend to be especially vulnerable to the effects of temperature. .

This expert explains that as people get older, their tolerance limit decreases. In other words, exposure to high temperatures puts older people at greater physical and mental health risks.

Older people are also more likely to have chronic diseases that are aggravated by heat, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

According to Giacomo Falchetta's warning, countries need to start planning now to find solutions for the needs of the elderly group.

This expert said that while there is no universal approach to minimizing the risks from exposure to high temperatures, some options can be considered such as strengthening health care infrastructure for elderly people, deploy early warning systems about heat, provide public health services, expand green spaces and trees to reduce the urban heat island effect.

Previously in early April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an "unusually hot" summer in many areas of the US, extending from the northwest to the southwest.

Climate models also predict that 2024 is likely to be the hottest year ever recorded, due to the "dual" effects of climate change and the El Nino phenomenon. In particular, the El Nino phenomenon is expected to contribute significantly to the increase in global temperature.