Pakistan among regions at greatest risk of 'wet-bulb' temperatures driven by climate change

Volunteers of Edhi Foundation cool down a man with water during a hot day in Karachi on April 11, 2021. (AFP/File)
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Updated 10 August 2023
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Pakistan among regions at greatest risk of 'wet-bulb' temperatures driven by climate change

  • "Wet-bulb" temperature is measurement that accounts not just for air temperature but also how much moisture it holds
  • At upper end, wet-bulb temperatures can cause serious health effects if people can't find a way to quickly cool down

LONDON: A dangerous combination of heat and humidity is sweeping the Gulf region this week, hitting cities from Dubai to Doha.

Dubai, for example, is forecast to see air temperatures hover around 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit). But climate experts say air temperature alone can be misleading.

Meteorologists are particularly worried about the "wet-bulb" temperature — a more holistic measurement that accounts not just for air temperature but also how much moisture it holds. In Dubai, humidity this week is expected to be between 35% and 45%.

At the upper end, wet-bulb temperatures can cause serious health effects if people can't find a way to quickly cool down.

Dubai could this week briefly touch wet-bulb temperatures nearing 30C (86F) - roughly the point at which serious health effects could occur - but would need to sustain that temperature for several hours, which isn't yet expected.

HOW IS WET-BULB TEMPERATURE MEASURED?

A wet-bulb measurement is taken by covering a thermometer with a water-soaked cloth. The process of the water evaporating from the cloth, thus lowering the temperature, mirrors how the human body cools down with sweat.

At 100% relative humidity, wet-bulb temperature will be the same as the dry air temperature, but with less humidity it is lower.

HOW DO HIGH WET-BULB TEMPERATURES AFFECT THE HUMAN BODY?

High wet-bulb temperatures are dangerous because humans lose around 80% of heat through sweating, so when both humidity and air temperature are high it becomes harder to shed excess heat.

Sweat evaporates very slowly, if at all, in very humid conditions.

Internal body temperature is around 37C (98F). But humans also generate more heat through exercise.

"You have to lose that - if you don't lose the heat, you just slowly heat up and that can't be good," said Matthew Huber, a global expert on heat stress at Purdue University in the U.S.

If the body cannot cool down it will eventually overheat, triggering respiratory and cardiovascular issues, and even death.

WHAT'S THE THRESHOLD?

This is an area of ongoing research among scientists.

A landmark study co-authored by Huber in 2010 found that a wet-bulb temperature of 35C (95F) persisting beyond six hours could induce hyperthermia in people and cause serious health consequences or death.

While Huber's study assumed more of an ideal scenario —perhaps a person in the shade drinking water — real people might be out exercising in direct sunlight.

Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2022 suggested that limit could be lower. Scientists placed young, healthy adults in chambers that mimicked high wet-bulb temperatures and had them perform tasks that mirrored those of daily life. They found the limit could be much lower — between 30C (86F) and 31C (88F).

"That's kind of a game changer if that's right," said Huber.

HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT WET-BULB TEMPERATURES?

Climate change is predicted to affect not just how high wet-bulb temperatures get but also how long they persist. The upper range of wet-bulb temperatures scales directly with the climbing global average temperature.

"If you warm the world by about 1C, then the maximum wet-bulb temperature that might be experienced over much of the world increases by about one degree," said Huber.

The world is on track for 2.7C (4.9F) of global warming by 2100 under current government policies, the United Nations says.

"All of a sudden you have large parts of the world in terms of population that reach the threshold, even with moderate warming," said Huber.

Climate change may also cause dangerous wet-bulb temperatures to last longer. A 2020 study in the Journal of Scientific Advances found that, rather than lasting for only an hour, dangerous wet-bulb temperatures could persist for six or more hours by 2060 — killing anyone who can't take cover.

Overall, extreme humid heat worldwide has doubled in frequency since 1979, the study found.

WHAT AREAS ARE AT HIGHEST RISK?

Tropical regions with a lot of humidity, especially those along the monsoon belt, are generally at greatest risk of experiencing lethal wet-bulb temperatures.

China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Africa's Sahel region are all considered key risk zones.

HAVE WE ALREADY SEEN DEADLY WET-BULB TEMPERATURES?

Small slivers of the world have flirted with lethal wet bulb temperatures. But these punishing conditions only lasted one to two hours at a time, avoiding deadly consequences.

Jacobabad in Pakistan — dubbed the hottest city on Earth — has surpassed a wet-bulb temperature of 35C on at least four occasions.

But many other cities have briefly seen maximum wet-bulb temperatures exceeding 32C, said the Scientific Advances study, which assessed global weather station data. These include La Paz, Mexico; Port Hedland, Australia; and Abu Dhabi, UAE.


Pakistan's Punjab bans entry to parks, zoos and playgrounds amid pollution

Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistan's Punjab bans entry to parks, zoos and playgrounds amid pollution

  • The province has set up a ‘smog war room,’ using satellite, drones and AI to monitor and address pollution
  • Environmentalists want government to address fuel quality, renewable electricity and industrial emissions

LAHORE: Pakistan's eastern Punjab province banned entry to parks, zoos, playgrounds and other public spaces on Friday to protect the public from polluted air, and is considering closing down universities after shutting schools earlier this week.

The air quality in Lahore has deteriorated drastically, earning Punjab's regional capital the rank of world's most polluted city from Swiss air purification equipment maker IQAir.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. There's a possibility of closing universities and colleges on Monday to reduce vehicle emissions," said Jahangir Anwar, Secretary of the Environment Protection Department Punjab.

Friday's order from the regional government placed a "complete ban on public entry in all parks ... zoos, playgrounds, historical places, monuments, museums and joy/play lands" until Nov. 17 in areas including Lahore.

In addition to shutting schools, the province has already taken other steps such as suggesting half of employees work from home and banning rickshaws in certain areas.

South Asia annually faces severe pollution due to trapped dust, emissions and stubble burning - the practice of setting fire to fields after the harvest of grain.

Punjab has attributed this year's particularly high pollution levels to toxic air from neighbouring India, where air quality has also reached hazardous levels.

Punjab has set up a "smog war room," using satellite, drone technology and AI to monitor and address pollution. Nevertheless, Anwar says there is not enough equipment to effectively monitor the province, with only four air quality monitoring machines for the entire city of Lahore, "whereas we should have 50.”

Anwar said the department had imported and deployed five mobile monitoring units and plans to deploy eight more by year-end.

Ahmad Rafay Alam, an environment lawyer and member of the Pakistan Climate Change Council, stressed the need for robust data and policy changes.

"Right now, we just simply don't have those monitors, we simply don’t have as robust data as we should have to make decisions," Alam said.

He warned that without addressing fuel quality, renewable electricity and industrial emissions, the problem will continue to worsen.

 


Father accused of killing daughter tells UK jury wife told him to confess

Updated 35 min 46 sec ago
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Father accused of killing daughter tells UK jury wife told him to confess

  • Urfan Sharif is accused of murdering Sara Sharif last year, alongside her stepmother and uncle
  • Police found the girl’s body with multiple fractures, bruises, burns and bite marks at her home

LONDON: The father of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl on trial in London for her murder on Friday said his wife told him to confess to killing his daughter.
Urfan Sharif, 42, is accused of murdering Sara Sharif on August 8 last year, alongside her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and the girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
All three deny the charge and of causing or allowing her death.
A jury at the Old Bailey court was told that all three left the family home in Woking, southwest of London, the day after Sara died and flew to Pakistan.
Sara’s body, which had multiple fractures, bruises, burns and bite marks, was found by police after a tip-off from Sharif in Islamabad.
Giving evidence for a fourth day, he said he was devastated by her death but agreed to leave because Batool had told him Sara had been beaten by another of his children, and he feared the consequences for them.
Before leaving, he wrote a note taking the blame. “Whoever sees this note, it’s me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating,” it read.
But Sharif told the jury that the confession was dictated by his wife.
“I was merely writing, the wording was not mine,” he said, insisting he took the blame to protect his other children.
Before leaving on August 9, 2023, Sharif left the house keys under the doormat, so the police would not have to break through the door, and had resolved to tell the authorities about Sara when he was out of the country.
A recording was played in court of Sharif’s garbled phone call to police in the UK after arriving in Islamabad.
“I killed my daughter, I killed my daughter,” he said.
Instructing police to the house, he said he “left in a panic” and added: “I promise I’ll come back.”
One month later, Sharif, Batool and Malik returned to the UK and were arrested.


Pakistan PM unveils winter power relief package to cut electricity costs for consumers

Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan PM unveils winter power relief package to cut electricity costs for consumers

  • PM Shehbaz Sharif says the initiative will alleviate financial pressure on consumers, stimulate economic activity
  • Relief package will reduce tariffs for domestic, industrial and commercial users for three months starting December

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday a three-month electricity relief package starting in December, aimed at reducing tariffs for domestic, industrial and commercial consumers.

The announcement comes after the government faced widespread protests earlier this year over rising inflation and high electricity costs following the presentation of its first budget in June. Political parties urged the Sharif administration to renegotiate agreements with independent power producers to lower tariffs.

Pakistan’s manufacturing sector has also expressed concerns over the years due to the rising cost of electricity, saying the elevated power tariffs render national exports uncompetitive in the global market.

“The government has decided to offer an electricity relief package for the three winter months of December, January and February, providing substantial reductions in electricity prices for additional usage,” the prime minister said during a ceremony in Islamabad.

“Under this package, domestic consumers will pay a flat rate of Rs26.07 per unit for incremental electricity usage, resulting in savings of Rs11.42 to Rs26 per unit for household users,” he continued. “The package will apply across Pakistan.”

Electricity consumers in the country pay their bills according to the number of units that fall into various slabs, each with its own tariff rates.

Under the new winter package, industrial consumers will benefit from savings ranging between Rs5.72 and Rs15 per unit, according to Sharif, translating to an 18 percent to 37 percent reduction in electricity costs.

Commercial consumers are set to save between Rs13.46 and Rs22 per unit, equating to overall savings of 34 percent to 47 percent.

Sharif also emphasized the broader economic benefits of the initiative, saying it would alleviate financial pressures on consumers and stimulate economic activity in the country.

“With reduced electricity costs, industries will grow across Pakistan, agriculture will flourish, business and exports will expand, production will increase and Pakistan’s economy will strengthen further,” he said.


No official word from India it will participate in Champions Trophy in Pakistan — PCB

Updated 08 November 2024
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No official word from India it will participate in Champions Trophy in Pakistan — PCB

  • Mohsin Naqvi’s statement comes amid Indian media reports their team may not play the tournament
  • PCB chief maintains sports should be free from politics, says Pakistan’s preparations are continuing

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday there has been no official communication from Indian cricket authorities regarding their national team’s participation in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Pakistan next year, despite recent reports in the Indian media suggesting otherwise.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan mean the two South Asian rivals only face each other at international tournaments. The Indian team last visited Pakistan in 2008 for the 50-over Asia Cup.
India’s refusal to play on Pakistani soil since then forced the PCB to settle for a “hybrid model” during last year’s Asia Cup, in which only four of the 13 matches were held in Pakistan, with the remaining nine played in Sri Lanka.
“For the past two months, there have been reports in Indian media that the Indian team is not coming [to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy],” Naqvi said during a news conference in Lahore.
“As far as what Indian media is reporting, if the Indian media is reporting this, then with that there must also be a letter that the ICC will give us [Pakistan] or the Indian [cricket] board must have announced [this decision] somewhere,” he continued. “So far, no such letter has reached me or the PCB.”
The ICC Champions Trophy, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, marks Pakistan’s first time hosting this prestigious tournament. The PCB has been preparing extensively, investing in stadium upgrades and infrastructure improvements to meet international standards.
Naqvi emphasized the need to keep sports free from political influence, adding the preparations for the Champions Trophy would continue as planned with hopes for a successful event.
The ICC has previously expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s preparations, signaling that the tournament remains on track.
The PCB chief said during his media talk he was in contact with the cricket authorities in other countries, saying they were all excited about the upcoming event and wanted to play the tournament in Pakistan.


Pakistan, UAE sign agreements in customs, rail, airport infrastructure, maritime sectors

Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan, UAE sign agreements in customs, rail, airport infrastructure, maritime sectors

  • UAE minister of state for foreign trade calls on Pakistani PM Sharif
  • In May, Pakistan said UAE had committed $10 billion in investments

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the UAE on Friday signed four MoUs in the sectors of customs, rail and airport infrastructure, maritime shipping and logistics, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office in Islamabad said in a statement.
The MoUs were signed between the Pakistani ministries of maritime affairs, aviation and railways and the Federal Board of Revenue with the Abu Dhabi (AD) Ports Group.
“As per these MoUs, Pakistan and AD Ports Group would explore potential collaboration in customs, rail, airport infrastructure and maritime shipping and logistics sectors,” the PM’s office said after Sharif met a delegation of UAE investors led by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE minister of state for foreign trade.
“These MoUs are aimed at improving digital customs controls, developing dedicated freight rail corridors, upgrading Pakistan’s maritime fleet and marine services, as well as Pakistan’s international airports.”
Sharif said the delegation’s visit demonstrated that the UAE government wanted to enhance its “investment footprint” in Pakistan and continue to play a “crucial role” in boosting Pakistan’s economy.
“The Prime Minister highlighted the comprehensive economic partnership between the two nations across sectors such as trade, energy, and investment, which has contributed to growth and prosperity in both countries.”
The UAE delegation’s visit to Pakistan comes as Islamabad is seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with friendly nations. 
In May this, Pakistan said the UAE had committed $10 billion to invest in promising economic sectors in Pakistan.
Riyadh has also promised a $5 billion investment package that cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up its dwindling foreign reserves and fight a chronic balance of payment crisis. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed 34 MoUs worth $2.8 billion last month.