In just 30 years, cities around the world will face dramatically higher risks from extreme heat, coastal flooding, power blackouts and shortages of food and water unless climate-changing emissions are curbed, urban researchers warned Tuesday.
Today, for instance, over 200 million people in 350 cities face stifling heat in which average daily high temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) for at least three months, according to a study released by C40 Cities, a network of major cities pushing climate action.
By 2050, more than 1.6 billion people in 970 cities will face those conditions, the researchers predicted.