London to be ‘as hot as Barcelona’ by 2050
New study to demystify climate change predicts huge rise in global heating
London will be as hot as Barcelona in 30 years, according to a study on the expected impacts of the climate crisis.
The report, which attempts to demystify climate change, also predicts that by 2050 Edinburgh will feel like Paris, Leeds will resemble Melbourne and Moscow will be like Sofia.
Around a fifth of cities, including Jakarta, Singapore, Yangon and Kuala Lumpur, will experience weather conditions currently not seen in any major cities in the world.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Global heating will rise by as much as 3.5C in European cities in summer and 4.7C in winter, according to the study of 520 major cities published in the journal Plos One.
The Guardian warns that if warmer temperatures in the UK seem “enticing”, the change “could be accompanied by severe drought”.
The Times, too, says that “Mediterranean summers will come at a cost”, pointing out that heatwaves in Barcelona have forced the city “to spend millions of euros on importing drinking water”.
Jean-Francois Bastin, lead author of the research paper, said it aims to “help people visualise the impact of climate change in their own city, within their lifetime”.
He adds: “History has repeatedly shown us that data and facts alone do not inspire humans to change their beliefs or act.”
Professor Mike Lockwood, from the University of Reading, said: “Bringing Barcelona's climate to London sounds like it could be a good thing - if you don't suffer from asthma or have a heart condition, that is - except London clay shrinks and is brittle if it gets too dry and then swells and expands when very wet.”
He adds: “As ever, there is destructive and unforeseen devil in the details of climate change.”
Also lining up to put global warming in context is Richard Betts, a professor of climate impacts at Exeter University and head of the climate impacts strategic area at the Met Office Hadley Centre.
Speaking of the unprecedented conditions forecast for cities such as Kuala Lumpur, he says: “Without the benefit of knowing that the new climate conditions are already liveable somewhere in the world, it is harder to know whether people will be able to adapt and stay in these cities, or whether they will eventually look to move elsewhere.”
In a separate development, the UK’s Committee on Climate Change published a report yesterday saying the government was completely unprepared for the likely repercussions of the climate crisis. Its chairman, Lord Deben, said: “The whole thing is run by the government like a Dad’s Army. We can’t possibly go on with this ramshackle system; it doesn’t begin to face the issues. It is a real threat to the population.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Making a police state out of the liberal university'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Try 6 free issues of The Week Junior
Spark your child's curiosity with The Week Junior - the award-winning current affairs magazine for 8-14s.
By The Week Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Costa Rica's renewable energy success could be under threat
Under the radar Central American nation generates nearly all its electricity from renewable sources but climate change is bringing huge challenges
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Ottawa climate talks: can global plastic problem be solved?
In the spotlight Nations aim to draft world's first treaty on plastic pollution, but resistance from oil- and gas-producing countries could limit scope
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why curbing methane emissions is tricky in fight against climate change
The Explainer Tackling the second most significant contributor to global warming could have an immediate impact
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published