OSLO: More than a billion people are at risk from a lack of air conditioning and refrigeration to keep them cool and to preserve food and medicines as global warming brings more high temperatures, a study showed on Monday.
More electricity demand for fridges, fans and other appliances will add to man-made climate change unless power generators shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energies, according to the report by the non-profit Sustainable Energy for All group.
About 1.1 billion people in Asia, Africa and Latin America — 470 million in rural areas and 630 million slum dwellers in cities — were at risk among the world’s 7.6 billion people, it said.
“Cooling becomes more and more important” with climate change, Rachel Kyte, head of the group and special representative for the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, told Reuters.
In a survey of 52 countries, those most at risk included India, China, Mozambique, Sudan, Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh, it said.
“We have to provide cooling in a super-efficient way,” Kyte said. Companies could find big markets, for instance by developing low-cost, high-efficiency air conditioners to sell to growing middle classes in tropical countries.
And simpler solutions, such as painting roofs white to reflect sunlight or redesigning buildings to allow heat to escape, would also help.
The UN’s health agency says that heat stress linked to climate change is likely to cause 38,000 extra deaths a year worldwide between 2030 and 2050. In a heat-wave in May, more than 60 people died in Karachi, Pakistan, when heat rose above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F).
In remote areas in tropical countries, many people lack electricity and clinics are often unable to store vaccines or medicines that need to be chilled, the study said. And in city slums, electricity supplies are often intermittent.
Many farmers or fishermen, meanwhile, lack access to a “cold chain” to preserve and transport products to markets. Fresh fish goes off within hours if stored at 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) but stays fresh for days when chilled.
Last week, a study by the University of Birmingham in Britain projected that the number of cooling appliances could quadruple by 2050 to 14 billion worldwide, driving a surge in energy consumption.
Pakistan among 52 countries 'struggling to stay cool', UN
Pakistan among 52 countries 'struggling to stay cool', UN
- Air conditioning, fridges, fans drive surge in energy demand
- Rural poor, slum dwellers most at risk from warming
Pakistan signals deeper security cooperation with Bahrain as kingdom marks National Day
- The two countries agreed to expand coordination on law enforcement during their talks in November
- Pakistan has stepped up engagement with Gulf states to strengthen economic and security relations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday signaled deeper security and law-enforcement cooperation with Bahrain, as he marked the Gulf nation’s National Day and highlighted expanding collaboration between the two countries.
Naqvi’s comments came as Pakistan seeks to deepen engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), combining security cooperation with a broader push to expand trade, attract investment and pursue preferential or free trade arrangements.
Bahrain hosts a large Pakistani expatriate community, which Pakistani officials frequently cite as a pillar of bilateral ties.
“During a recent visit to Bahrain, both interior ministries agreed to enhance mutual cooperation,” the minister said in a statement.
“Today, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the strong bonds of friendship, cooperation and brotherhood with Bahrain,” he added.
Naqvi said Pakistan and Bahrain shared a long-standing relationship rooted in trust and cooperation.
“The leadership of Bahrain, through its visionary approach and effective planning, has made the kingdom a symbol of stability, development and prosperity in the region,” he continued, adding that cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain had consistently been based on mutual respect and shared interests.
The minister said Pakistan would continue to work with Bahrain to strengthen collaboration across sectors, including internal security, while reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to promoting regional stability and people-to-people ties.
Naqvi last traveled to Bahrain in late November, where he held talks with Bahraini Interior Minister General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa on regional security, counter-narcotics cooperation, law-enforcement coordination and intelligence sharing, according to official statements released after the visit.
Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation between their interior ministries.
Pakistan has in recent years intensified outreach to Gulf states, viewing closer economic and security ties as central to its long-term stability and reform agenda.
