Are heatwaves here to stay? Climate change is not going away, warn worried scientists. Humans everywhere will have to adapt. So what might life look like eight years from now?
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Drought, fire and rationing: a day in 2030
Are heatwaves here to stay? Climate change is not going away, warn worried scientists. Humans everywhere will have to adapt. So what might life look like eight years from now?
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Alex's diary. 15 August 2030.
On Thursdays, I get up early to collect the water ration. I put on my gas mask and go outside. It is 30C. Dad's busy fixing the broken heat pump. On TV, the newsman says: "Day 54 of the worst heatwave on record."
My friend Grace texts, "We're here". She and Evie are outside in their UV coats. I look at my watch: 24 minutes until it is too hot to be outside.
We hurry along the green corridor to school. Grace and Evie are my best friends. Grace lived far south before climate change forced her to move. Evie comes from an island now underwater.
Our school is state-of-the-art. All wood and stone and no concrete, painted white to reflect sunlight. The shutters are closed and the blinds are down. Inside it is very dark.
Because of the heat, all the lessons are in the morning. By break time, I am hot and tired. Grace passes around an icepack. It is a relief to hold something so cold.
In geography, we look at a new world map with updated coastlines. The teacher asks us where we would like to go when air travel is allowed again. I say Antarctica.
After lunch, we go to the top floor and look outside. We can see a huge wildfire. It has been burning for 37 days. Evie thinks it is getting closer, but I say: "no - the news says it is under control."
In the afternoon, we sleep in the inner courtyards, the coolest part of the school, until it is safe to head home.
At home, Mum slices up lab meat for tea. She says, the government has ordered everyone to stay at home tomorrow.
Dad says it is like an old-fashioned snow day. I've never seen snow.
Dad talks about the "good old days", when it was cool enough to play football during the day.
He looks sad. So after dark, we take the football and play outside. There is a cool breeze and we are happy.
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Are heatwaves here to stay?
Yes: The science is clear: global warming makes heatwaves more likely. They will become more common even in the best-case scenario of a 1.4C rise by 2100, with a severe heatwave in the UK every 15 years.
No: This is a lot of hot air. Northern latitudes experienced heatwaves long before climate change. And some climate models predict wetter - and even cooler - weather for the UK and northern Europe.
Or... The future is unwritten. Humans caused climate change but we can still avoid its worst effects. If we act now, future generations will not have to accept heatwaves as a fact of life.
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Keywords
UV coats - Harmful ultraviolet light can penetrate traditional fabrics like cotton. So in extreme heat, scientists recommend special fabrics with a high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).
Green corridor - Car-free avenues through urban areas with vegetation and wildlife. As well as supporting ecosystems, they improve the air quality and reduce the surrounding temperature.
Inner courtyards - Architects designing heatwave-proof buildings are inspired by African and Middle Eastern traditional buildings. These structures use thick walls and open spaces in permanent shade.
Lab meat - "No-kill" meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory. The first lab-grown meat went on sale in Singapore last year. Its producers say it will emit less carbon and use less land and water than traditional farming.
Drought, fire and rationing: a day in 2030
Red hot: Mad Max: Fury Road is set in a world where water is a scarce resource. Glossary
UV coats - Harmful ultraviolet light can penetrate traditional fabrics like cotton. So in extreme heat, scientists recommend special fabrics with a high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).
Green corridor - Car-free avenues through urban areas with vegetation and wildlife. As well as supporting ecosystems, they improve the air quality and reduce the surrounding temperature.
Inner courtyards - Architects designing heatwave-proof buildings are inspired by African and Middle Eastern traditional buildings. These structures use thick walls and open spaces in permanent shade.
Lab meat - "No-kill" meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory. The first lab-grown meat went on sale in Singapore last year. Its producers say it will emit less carbon and use less land and water than traditional farming.