WHICH CITY WILL BECOME THE FIRST TO BE UNINHABITABLE ?

Kuwait is just as oil-rich as its Gulf neighbours but has lagged behind on climate change initiatives despite temperatures leaving its capital increasingly deserted in the summer. A little smaller than Wales and with a population of roughly 4.4 million people, it has the seventh-largest oil reserves in the world and has amassed no small fortune exploiting them over the past century. Aside from liquid gold and the 1990 invasion by its northern neighbour Iraq – one entirely following from the other – Kuwait is known for its heat. Gauges breached 50C (122F) for 19 days in 2021, a record that could be smashed this year. As the country gets hotter at a faster rate than the global average, climate scientists now predict temperatures there will be up 5.5C (10F) by the end of the century relative to the 2000s.The concrete and asphalt capital, Kuwait City, is becoming unlivable, and the locals know why, date merchant Abdullah Ashkanani said the country’s excessive energy consumption had “brought this heat to Kuwait.” Annual rainfall has been dropping in the already arid country, the frequency and intensity of dust storms increasing as a result. Reports claim birds have dropped dead from the sky and seahorses have boiled in the bay – but it’s not just nature at risk. The smartest pigeons huddle together in the shade. Halfway to water’s boiling point and 13C (55F) above body temperature, beyond being unhealthy, 50C is dangerous to humans as well. Prolonged exposure can result in heat exhaustion, cardiovascular problems and even death.