The United Nations Secretary-General has warned that the world is on a 'highway to climate hell' as the planet endures 12 consecutive months of unprecedented heat. Officials announced on Thursday that one of the major drivers of this exceptional heat has reached levels beyond anything humans have ever experienced. This prolonged heatwave has led to concerns about its impact on vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly. According to Glen Kenny from the University of Ottawa, older adults do not sense heat in the same way, making it difficult for them to identify harmful heat levels. Additionally, older individuals are more likely to have health conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, and hypertension, which can reduce the body's ability to respond to heat. Medications used to treat these conditions further impair the body's heat response. The World Health Organization has issued urgent warnings about the effects of climate change on vulnerable groups throughout their lives.
As we get older, our bodies become less adept at responding to high temperatures. On a warming planet with an aging population, that’s a problem https://t.co/Hdi77pVCer via @climate
As the planet continues its streak of record-breaking heat, the World Health Organization has issued urgent new warnings about the ways in which #climatechange is affecting the most vulnerable members of society at almost every stage of life. https://t.co/Og96nzIlv1
One of the major drivers of the exceptional heat building within Earth's atmosphere has reached levels beyond anything humans have ever experienced, officials announced on Thursday. https://t.co/k7wEPcNYZY
Older people are more likely to have health conditions (diabetes, heart problems, hypertension, etc) that can reduce the body's ability to respond to heat. Moreover, many of the meds used to treat those conditions further impair the heat response. https://t.co/peGAxax0UJ
I learned so much in the reporting of this story, but the piece I can't stop thinking about is how older adults "don't sense heat in the same way," according to UOttawa's Glen Kenny. In other words, the elderly can't easily self-identify harmful heat. https://t.co/MrzbZOermY
UN chief says world is on ‘highway to climate hell’ as planet endures 12 straight months of unprecedented heat https://t.co/bhI7fSSwkQ