Climate change could increase New York heat-related deaths

A study into the impact of climate trends has found that the number of heat-related deaths in New York over the summer could rise by 22 per cent over the next ten years. According to the new research, the heat in summertime New York could reach such levels that more people will succumb to the high temperatures.

The study, published in Nature Climate Change, has predicted that the rising summer temperatures will cause severe health problems in metropolitan areas throughout the next decade. The higher number of deaths in summer months will be somewhat offset by a reduced number of deaths throughout winter months as the weather becomes milder.

Despite a decrease in winter weather-related deaths, the overall number of deaths in New York City will have increased by 6.2 per cent by the 2020s. Deaths related to extreme weather will increase as the world heads into the later decades of the century, according to scientists.

The number of heatwave deaths that occur in New York City could increase by around 91 per cent by the 2080s, in comparison to levels throughout the 1980s.

Patrick Kinney, professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University, said according to the Guardian: "What our study suggests is that the heat effects of climate change dominate the winter warming benefits that might also come: climate change will cause more deaths through heat than it will prevent during winter."

The scientists used computer programs to project the effect of future climates. A total of 16 computer models were used to estimate the impact that climate could have on the number of deaths and public health challenges. The study's findings disprove the common belief that a warmer global temperature would be beneficial to overall public health.

Currently in New York City there are more deaths related to high temperatures than low. Last year's heatwave, in which US temperatures reached 37.7 degrees centigrade over several days, saw 82 people die according to Associated Press figures.