P.E.I. needs to prepare for deadly heat, says climate change expert

There’s nothing P.E.I. can do to cease extra scorching climate from coming, says local weather change researcher Prof. Blair Feltmate, however there are issues that may be performed to assist maintain Islanders secure.

P.E.I. is already seeing a rise within the variety of days within the 12 months the place temperatures exceed 30 C, and that development goes to proceed, mentioned Feltmate, head of the Intact Centre on Local weather Adaptation on the College of Waterloo.

“Local weather change is now right here to remain. It is irreversible and now we have to organize for extra excessive climate. Excessive warmth, floods, fires — they’re all going to be extra problematic,” he mentioned.

Within the final many years of the twentieth century, Charlottetown Airport averaged lower than someday a 12 months with temperatures above 30 C. Because the flip of the century the common is nearer to 2, and within the final two years there have been 9.

Projections by the Intact Centre recommend that by 2050, these unusually scorching days will turn out to be one thing near regular in the summertime, with 20 days a 12 months topping 30 C after 2050.

This sort of excessive warmth will be lethal — as was seen final summer season when a warmth wave in B.C. was blamed for 619 deaths.

Cooling as a human proper

Whereas it’s too late to cease the warmth, Feltmate mentioned the Island can begin making ready.

Canadians want to begin fascinated by the hazards of warmth in the summertime the best way we take into consideration the dangers of chilly within the winter, he mentioned.

That would come with establishing cooling centres, simply as there are warming centres throughout winter storms, and even subsidizing air conditioners and followers for properties.

“Treating them virtually as a human proper,” is how Feltmate describes it.

“It is the identical means we count on within the winter that individuals have the suitable to a certain quantity of warmth of their house for security functions.”

Some folks extra weak

There are weak teams the province may give attention to, together with the aged and other people with sure medical situations.

“We have got to ensure that earlier than these warmth waves hit, we have mapped out the place these folks dwell and someone’s checking on them frequently throughout a warmth wave, one or two occasions a day,” he mentioned.

The aged are sometimes weak partly as a result of they dwell alone. Wellness checks may be certain that any air-con they’ve is working correctly, that they’re staying hydrated, and that somebody can take them to a cooling centre if that is required.

The homeless are additionally weak, he mentioned, as a result of they typically have nowhere to flee from the warmth. Feltmate suggests establishing roving groups to verify on folks dwelling on the road, ensuring they know the place cooling centres are and providing them a journey to 1 in the event that they want it.

The necessity might be pressing. P.E.I. is transferring into the summer season months on a run of 11 months in a row with above-average temperatures at Charlottetown Airport.