An unsustainable life the impact of heat on health and the economy of Bangladesh

Globally, the year 2023 was the hottest year on record with a mean near surface temperature of approximately 1.45°C above the average for the preindustrial era (1850–1900) (WMO 2024). This followed the hottest nine consecutive years (2015–23) worldwide (WMO 2024). Human activities are causing much of this global warming. In 2020, 60 percent of the days with health-threatening high temperatures were more than twice as likely to occur because of anthropogenic climate change (refer to figure 1.1) (Romanello et al. 2023). Heat waves are already responsible for more deaths than all other forms of natural disasters combined in many countries (Jay et al. 2021). Developing countries are particularly susceptible to the risks associated with rising temperatures, as adaptation to climate change is expensive and outdoor labor is more common in such countries (Lancet 2018). South and Southeast Asia are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming because of the region’s topography and climate, with high temperatures and humidity prevalent throughout the year (Zachariah et al. 2023). South Asia experiences the largest annual increases in heat exposure, with Bangladesh ranking
second among all countries in the world exposed to elevated temperatures (Zachariah et al. 2023). Sub-Saharan and North Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia are prone to a high burden of diseases attributable to heat (Burkart et al. 2021). Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, is one of the places worst affected by urban heat globally and is at high risk of extreme heat episodes that will adversely affect human health and living standards (Zachariah et al. 2023). Heat waves, however, are a relatively recent threat, and more work is needed to fully understand their impact (Lancet 2018).

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https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/36c167d3-c733-445a-bc76-9d158aa9134e