As Hong Kong faces more heatwaves, what must be done to make the city more resilient?
Yung, an elderly Hong Kong resident, has spent hours hanging out at a neighbourhood shopping centre in Kwai Chung all summer. But he has not been going there to shop, instead taking refuge from the sweltering heat in the mall’s soothing air-conditioned arcade. The retiree, who lives in a 100 sq ft subdivided flat with his wife, is reluctant to use the air conditioner for long periods to avoid a…
As Hong Kong grapples with more frequent and intense heatwaves, urgent action is needed to enhance the city's resilience. Elderly resident Yung has found temporary relief from the heat in air-conditioned shopping centers, but many residents, especially those living in cramped, cramped spaces, struggle to keep cool and face health risks due to extreme temperatures.
In August, Hong Kong hit a record temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1884. Chief Executive John Lee has pledged to improve urban management and tackle extreme weather events, but more must be done.
Experts say strengthening the city's heat-stress warning system, redesigning urban areas, and shifting the mindset of policymakers are crucial steps. Heatwaves are projected to become more frequent and severe by 2040, with the main heatwave season lasting from May to September. The number of days affected by heatwaves is expected to surge from an average of 14 per year in the 2010s to 101 by 2040.
Currently, Hong Kong does not classify extreme heat as a natural disaster, and there is no dedicated action plan to mitigate its impacts. However, an HKU study estimates that the 18 heatwaves recorded between 2014 and 2023 resulted in about 1,677 excess deaths. The city's heat-related alerts include warnings for temperatures between 28 to 32 degrees and very hot weather warning for temperatures reaching 33 degrees.
Temporary heat shelters are available during very hot weather warnings, but their effectiveness is being questioned.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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