2050 may sound like it’s very far away, but really, it isn’t – it's in only 31 years. By then, you’d have young kids or, if you're a little older, your kids will be at that stage where they claw at you for money.
But needy teenagers aren’t the only worry we’d have because by 2050 experts expect temperatures worldwide to go up by 1.4°C (as long as all countries follow international guildeines on going green). Doesn't sound very bad, does it? Oh, but it is.
To put things into perspective, scientists from ETH Zurich carried out a study to make it easier for the common man (and perhaps some stubborn world leaders) to understand.
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By 2050, summers in European countries will be hotter by 3.5°C. Imagine KL at 12 noon, now imagine it hotter, and hotter and hotter. Ok, you get the picture. Your Instagram photos of your European winter holidays will also be less bulat because you probably don't need that coat anymore, since it's going to get 4.7°C hotter.
It's not just Europe though, major tropical cities like KL, Singapore and Jakarta will also "suffer". No, temperatures are not going to skyrocket, but there will be more frequent and intense droughts.
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So, why did scientists conduct this terrifying study? Just to tell you you might be living in an oven in the future? Lead author Jean-Francois Bastin, a researcher at ETH Zurich, says that this study is to help make the data more accessible to the public and city planners.
We want to help people visualize the impact of climate change in their own city, within their lifetime.
Looks like we’d have to get ready for hotter days ahead!
By: Irene Chooi
