Will the Tropics Soon Become Uninhabitable? Global Warming May be to Blame

Posted: July 16, 2023 6:40 am

A study out of Princeton University is setting off alarm bells about the effects of global warming on the human body and why the tropics may soon become uninhabitable.

Details of the Study: The recent study looked at a measure known as the wet-bulb temperature. This metric takes into account both heat and humidity.

The study’s researchers claim that countries need to aim to cap their warming trends at 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial levels in order to ensure that the tropics will remain inhabitable. However, it will become increasingly more difficult to live in the tropics if these temperature metrics are not met.

The study’s researchers investigated how global warming could potentially affect wet-bulb temperatures in this region of the world. By using data stretching back 10 years, the scientists were able to confidently assert that global warming needs to be limited to the 1.5 degrees Celsius mark in order to halt the trajectory of the tropics to reach uninhabitable wet-bulb temperatures.

These research findings are in alignment with current recommendations under the Paris Agreement treaty on climate change. According to this treaty, the goal is to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, with the preference of keeping it at 1.5 degrees.

The research was published March 8, 2021 in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Why is This Important? Currently, approximately 40% of the world’s population lives in what is considered to be the tropics, a large swath of land in the middle of the globe between the latitude lines of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This includes the Equator as well as Mexico, Brazil, India, and even parts of Australia.

Understanding the Relationship Between Wet-Bulb Temperatures and the Body: The results of this study can provide valuable data points when discerning what level of global warming will lead to uninhabitable living conditions. The issue is that the body responds to humidity levels along with temperatures. Because the body cools itself through sweating, this cooling will not happen when the outside conditions reach a particular heat-humidity point.

According to scientists, a wet-bulb temperature reading of 35 degrees Celsius is the maximum limit for humans to be able to tolerate without experiencing major health issues. This wet-bulb temperature is equal to a heat index of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Even for healthy individuals, prolonged exposure these type of high wet-bulb temperatures can prove fatal.

Solutions to Cap Global Warming: So how do we cap the global warming trends so that the tropics will remain livable? The obvious answer is to rely less on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. In order to shake this reliance, consumers need to have access to clean energy sources such as wind and the sun. This is because the emissions from fossil fuels are responsible for the increase in temperatures across the planet since the 1950s.

It is the hope of the researchers and those members of the Paris Agreement that global citizens heed these warnings.

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