Delhi may have 8 months of 32°C average temperature by 2100: WEF study

New Delhi: The national capital may have eight months a year with temperature averaging 32°C by 2100, up from six at present, a new study said on Wednesday cautioning against the worsening global warming scenario in the world. According to the new 'EarthTime Visualisation' report released at the World Economic Forum's Sustainable Development Impact Summit, a record increase in temperature is expected in the US, India and across South Asia for longer periods of time.
Such a future can be avoided from playing out only by limiting the worst impact of climate change by decreasing emissions and working towards the Sustainable Development Goals, the WEF said in its report while urging business and government leaders to fast-track solutions and act now to prevent such a scenario unfolding.

"Climate-related impacts such as the wildfires in the western United States will only become more severe if we allow the worst-case scenario to unfold by 2100," it said.

The WEF said it used data from the Climate Impact Lab, Climate Central, the Washington Post, and NASA satellites to create a visualisation of this worst-case scenario.

The data model shows that by 2100, average June-August temperatures will reach 38°C (100.4°F) for many parts of the world.

Besides, New Delhi will have eight months a year with temperatures averaging 32oC (89.6°F) up from six, the model shows.

At the same time, Phoenix, Arizona, may have nearly 200 days a year of temperatures hitting at least 32oC (89.6°F), while regions of southern Europe will have average June-August temperatures of 30°C (86°F).

Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia's June-August temperatures will average more than 30°C (86°F), while Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, can disappear under water due to rising sea levels.

"Longer-term trends can often seem abstract and intangible. Visualising the effects of these trends, based on the latest scientific data, can help people take action and work towards shared goals," said Stephan Mergenthaler, head of strategic intelligence at WEF.

Effective climate policies, fighting efforts to discredit legitimate science, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or offsetting it by planting new forests, and upgrading transportation and energy systems can all be part of the solution, the WEF said.