Whether summer in your city is present or past, there is a good chance you weathered record-breaking temperatures this year.
A heatwave swept the planet, and it was not simply one hot summer: the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that all 18 years of the 21st century are among the 19 warmest on record, and 2016 was the warmest year ever. “In 20 years’ time, the [recent] heat ... will no longer be news. It will be routine,” warned a Guardian editorial.
Climate change in cities is frequently discussed in terms of flooding or storms – but its most dangerous consequence may be heat. Air conditioning, private transport and water engineering have allowed urban settlements in arid areas to expand at a dizzying and unsustainable rate, while outdated paradigms of urban planning and design give little relief from rising temperatures.
Cities around the world may find their water use restricted – Cape Town, South Africa and Shimla, India have already have already come dangerously close to “day zero”, when taps run dry – and their power infrastructure compromised by reliance on air conditioning. Standards of living are likely to fall. Heat islands, droughts and disrupted seasons will likely lead to more deaths – particularly among the young, the old and those with health issues.
Guardian Cities will be publishing a special week of journalism next month investigating heat in cities, and we want to hear from you.
Share your experiences
How are rising temperatures affecting or changing your city? What, if anything, is being done to mitigate this? What concerns you most about sweltering summers and more frequent and extreme heatwaves and droughts? Do you have any suggestions for what could be done?
Please share your experiences with us using the form below – or, if you’d prefer to speak with a member of the team directly, you’re welcome to email Guardian Cities communities editor Elle Hunt via elle.hunt@theguardian.com.
We will be publishing a selection of responses as part of our special series on urban heat.
If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here.
