LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – Malta could see the number of deaths from heat exposure arise over the next century should efforts to tackle global warming prove unsuccessful. A study published in Nature magazine, warns that should temperatures increase by as much as 4°C, Malta could see the number of heat-related deaths rise to 269 per 100,000 by 2095; almost three times the rate registered at the start of the century. Stressing Malta was the “most affected country”, the report said worst-case scenario rates of heat-related deaths in Malta were more than double the average estimated for Southern Europe. Providing estimated per capita death rates for temperature increases of 1.5°C, 2°C, 3°C and 4°C for 30 European countries, the report said Malta was the only country to see an increase in heat deaths across all four scenarios. In all four scenarios, Malta was shown to experience considerably more heat-related deaths than any other European country and significantly more than the European average. Mediterranean countries were found to be particularly affected by rising temperatures, with Eastern Spain, Southern France and Italy singled out in addition to Malta. The report also highlighted “hotspots” of increasing temperatures elsewhere around Europe, including in Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Southern Germany and Southern Poland. The report added, “Unless strong mitigation and adaptation measures are implemented, most European cities should experience an increase of their temperature-related mortality burden”. The results of the study carried out by researchers from across Europe seem to confirm the findings of a similar analysis published in the medical journal Lancet in August, which estimated that over 1,000 people would die each year with temperature rises of 4°C, the highest per capita rate on the continent. According to the UN, emissions cuts of 42% are needed by 2030 and 57% by 2035 for the world to be in with a chance of limiting temperature increases to 1.5°C. Failing to hit those targets would put the world on track for rises of up to 3.1°C, bringing “debilitating impacts” to the planet, the UN said in a recent report.
Foto: Ipa Agency
