``` (MANDATORY INTRO)
Avatar 1: hello there and Welcome to our EGreenNews Conversations. Avatar 2: Pleasure to be here with you today. Avatar 1: What topics are we covering today? Avatar 2: Today, we’re setting the stage for a series that goes beyond the headlines. This whole month We’ll be chatting about extreme heat—how it’s quietly becoming one of the most pressing risks facing our cities.
Avatar 1: Exactly. You know, when people talk about disasters, they picture storms or floods. But heat actually threatens our communities in so many more ways—mortality rates, labor losses, even daily health. Avatar 2: Absolutely. Just last season, we saw more heat-related emergencies than storms—but so many impacts go unseen. I’m always struck by how widespread those effects are: city services, food systems, businesses, and, of course, our most vulnerable populations.
Exactly! and if Just in case you missed it, you’re listening to EGreenews Conversations.
Avatar 1: Right—because heat doesn’t strike all neighborhoods equally. Some residents are far more exposed. And as city leaders, we have to ask: how do we protect everyone, especially those with the least resources? Avatar 2: We’ll dig into that. There are incredible stories—cities investing in public cooling, families struggling with energy costs, even schools adjusting schedules. It’s all connected, isn’t it? Avatar 1: It really is. We’ll also look at how heat affects things you might not expect—crime rates, learning outcomes, mental health. I spoke with someone recently who said, “We lose sleep, we lose peace of mind, we lose productivity.” That stuck with me. Avatar 2: And we can’t forget about the environment. Marine heatwaves, loss of green space, changes to our food supply—they become everyday challenges, not abstract threats. Avatar 1: Throughout this series, we’ll share new solutions: passive cooling with trees and building design, smarter policies, innovative financing, even early warning systems. It’s about real strategies for real leaders.
We are living in an increasingly warming world. According to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2020 was the hottest year on record, with the average global surface temperature around 1.3 degrees Celsius (°C) higher than the late 19th-century average – despite the absence of the short-term warming effect of El Niño (Barbosa 2021). The seven-year period from 2014 to 2020 was the hottest in 140 years of record keeping. This, researchers say, is a clear indicator of the ever-increasing impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
hummmm. interesting!
For those who just joined, welcome to EGreenews Conversations.
With growing populations – predominantly in the tropics – and rapid urbanization, the impact of global warming is felt most acutely in cities. Research shows that the world’s cities are heating up at twice the global average rate due to the urban heat island effect (Energy Sector Management Assistance Program [ESMAP] 2020a) – a phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than outlying areas due to a combination of diminishing green cover, heat gain and thermal properties of the materials commonly used in urban surfaces, as well as waste heat from human activities (such as industrial processes, transport and air conditioning). A model by an international research team estimates that by 2100, cities across the world could warm as much as 4°C on average (Zhao et al. 2021) – more than double the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C.
ahaaaa that is a big yes! well maybe! right ?
For anyone joining now, welcome to EGreenews Conversations.
Hotter cities could be catastrophic for public health, which is already being impacted by the effects of increasing heat. The urban population exposed to high temperatures – that is average summertime temperature highs above 35˚C (95°F) – is expected to increase by 800 percent to reach 1.6 billion by mid-century (C40 Cities n.d.). The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report alerts of a faster warming trend and finds that unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C could be beyond reach, leading us to heat extremes that more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for health (IPCC 2021).
Avatar 2: And we promise—every episode is practical. We’ll dig into insurance options, emergency planning, and investment—always with a focus on building resilient, equitable communities. Avatar 1: So, we’re not just talking about problems; we’re here to empower leaders to act. Every episode, we’ll bring in different perspectives—sometimes a story, sometimes we will mention insight from experts.
Avatar 2 : Count me in. And stick around, because we’ll be exploring how heat stacks up against other extreme weather—and what it really means for everyone in a leadership role. Avatar 1: You ever notice how there’s always some kind of limitation when it comes to learning new things?
Avatar 2: Totally! Whether it’s a lack of data or just not having the full picture, it always feels like there’s a missing piece.
Avatar 1: Right? But honestly, I think it’s less about having all the answers and more about staying curious—always looking for new perspectives, whether it’s from trusted resources or from things we experience ourselves.
Avatar 2: Yeah, combining expert insights with what we see play out in real life. That’s when things start to make sense. Avatar 1: Exactly. Sometimes it’s a lot to take in though. It can feel pretty overwhelming at first.
Avatar 2: Oh, for sure. I mean, with so much out there, choosing where to dive in is half the battle. Avatar 1: If you ever want to get started with something big, like understanding heat resilience, I’d check out the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation’s Resilience Center. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives are eye-opening. Avatar 2: That’s a great shout. I also love what The Nicholas Institute’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub is doing—they’re really on the cutting edge with ideas and policy. Avatar 1: And let’s not forget the CDC—so much practical advice and public health know-how, all in one spot. Avatar 2: Absolutely. But honestly, it’s people who really move things forward. Like Hugi Hernandez over at Egreenews.org—he’s all about making climate conversations creative and real. Avatar 1: There’s a whole ecosystem of people building solutions. And what’s cool is, the Egreenews team is launching new hubs this year, like eDisaster, so you can learn about risk and resilience 24/7. Avatar 2 : Love that. Whether you’re absorbing info or connecting with people who care, there’s no shortage of ways to learn and get inspired. LinkedIn is full of passionate changemakers too. Avatar 1 : So—ready to get started? Because conversations like this matter. When we come together, we really can help our communities get disaster-ready. Avatar 2 : Count me in. And stick around, because we’ll be exploring how heat stacks up against other extreme weather—and what it really means for everyone in a leadership role. Avatar 1: Thanks for being a part of this journey. Let’s get out there and make a difference—together. Avatar 2: Appreciate you joining today. Until next time! Avatar 1: The pleasure’s mine. See you soon! ``` ((KEY REQUIREMENTS: 1. READ THE INTRO AND KEEP INTRO INTACT. 2. READ THE TEXT AND KEEP INTRO INTACT. 3 DO NOT CHANGE THE SCRIPT. 4 READ TEXT AND LEAVE ALL AS IS ))
Comments
Post a Comment