A recent study introduces a new measure of climate change’s impact on daily life, termed as “outdoor days,” which represent days suitable for outdoor activities and work due to mild weather. Unlike many studies focusing on mean temperature changes or sporadic extreme weather events, this approach prioritizes day-to-day conditions.
In the study, researchers compiled historical temperature data and projections from nearly 50 different climate models, alongside economic data and global population projections through the year 2100 from existing databases. They calculated the annual count of days within the temperature range of 10 to 25 °C (50-77 °F) for locations worldwide, both presently and in the future. The work is one of only a few studies to consider changes in mild weather at a global scale, and the first to do so using a comprehensive array of climate models.
Currently, densely populated areas of the world experience an average of approximately 165 mild weather days annually (45% of the year). Generally, countries in the Global South tend to enjoy more outdoor days compared to countries in the Global North.
However, climate change is reshaping these patterns. The study reveals that outdoor days have decreased by about 13% in the last three decades in tropical areas compared to the period 1961-1990. Meanwhile, high-latitude countries have seen a 13% increase in the number of outdoor days. These shifts are likely to exacerbate with continued high greenhouse gas emissions. Countries in the Global South such as Brazil, Nigeria, and India are projected to suffer significant losses of outdoor days during the hottest periods of the year.
Source: anthropocenemagazine.org
Click here to read more about the study.
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