Three ways to better manage heatwaves — learning from Pakistan
By Helen Guyatt
The recent heatwave in the UK provided a stark reminder that many countries need to start being better prepared to deal with adverse climatic events. We propose three ways that heatwave responses could be improved drawing on learning from Pakistan.
- Promote the use of umbrellas as a simple practical way to keep cool
- Target heatwave prevention kits at vulnerable groups
- Provide public services such as cooling stations
On the 19th July 2022, the UK hit its hottest temperature on record, with 40.3 °C recorded at Coningsby in Lincolnshire, beating the previous record of 38.7 °C seen at Cambridge Botanic Garden in 2019 on the 25th July. This was followed by more than a week of sustained heat in August that led to drought warnings.
Cities in Pakistan such as Sibi and Multan experience daily temperatures averaging 42 °C throughout July. In June this year, high temperatures triggered a humanitarian heatwave response that was financed through the Start Network new risk pooled financing facility, Start Ready. Both these heatwave responses had built on local experience and learning around the needs of communities during such crisis. We think that the UK and other countries that do not have experience of regular heatwaves could benefit from this knowledge.
Promote the use of umbrellas as a simple practical way to keep cool
Research has shown that parasols/umbrellas provide their users with a 30 per centdrop in the experienced intensity of solar radiation.
In Pakistan, the use of umbrellas to protect people from the heat of the sun has been promoted as part of heatwave behaviour messaging campaigns. For many people the use of umbrellas in this way has been a new experience for them.
I shared the information with my family about using the umbrella to reduce heat exposure. This is something new for us as we had used it for rain until now. —30 year old female interviewed in the vicinity of posters with heatwave messaging in Sibi, Pakistan (June 2021).
The UK heatwave plan makes no mention of using umbrellas to shade from the sun in their behaviour messaging. They note the importance of staying hydrated and in the shade “if you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf”. They do not mention the use of parasols or umbrellas. Adding umbrellas to the list would enable more people to mitigate against heatstroke using an everyday item that many people have at home.
Target heatwave prevention kits at vulnerable groups
In Pakistan, there are some groups of people, such as daily wage earners or market traders, that are particularly vulnerable to the heat as they have to stay outside in the sun in order to earn a living. In the heatwave responses in Sibi and Multan this year heatwave protection kits were distributed to these vulnerable groups. In addition to an umbrella, heatwave protection kits included a water bottle, Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) sachets and a head cloth and cap.
It’s the first time in my life that I am getting a kit that can protect my well-being and health in this extreme situation when the temperature is more than 50 °C and I stand every day directly under the sun to sell fruits for my living … financially I barely meet my necessary expenses so buying this kit is out of question … getting it for free makes it great. — 40 year old male local trader who received a heatwave kit from HELP Foundation in July 2022.
In the UK, those that find themselves without a home, or the ways or means to protect themselves from exposure to the sun, could benefit from a similar heatwave prevention kit. There are many community groups and charities that could be brought in to help identify and target those most vulnerable.
Provide public services such as cooling stations
Last year, Bright Star, a local NGO in Balochistan implemented temporary cooling stations in response to the heatwave in Sibi. They were so successful that in 2022 they expanded the number and duration these were open to the public. The cooling stations were constructed of a cloth tent to provide shade, chairs for people to sit and rest, free cool water to drink and posters and pamphlets detailing important information related to heatwaves. Assistants were also on hand, staff of the NGO agency funded to provide the heatwave support, to answer any questions and ensure water was accessible.
In the US and Canada, cooling centres are commonplace. However, rather than temporary shelters or tents placed in targeted locations, these tend to be public buildings with air conditioning that are made available to the public. They also frequently provide free water, and places to rest, including chairs and mattresses. Although they are commonplace, usage, especially by the most at risk groups, remains a challenge. In 2017, Centres for Disease Control in the US published a report on the use of cooling centres to prevent heat related illness which highlighted some of the barriers such as long distances to cooling centres and high transport costs; and lack of knowledge on their existence and location with some of this related to language barriers when all communication is in English.
The UK heatwave plan makes no reference to cooling centres, and a recent article in Time notes that “air-conditioned cooling centres are virtually absent in the UK” providing a quote from the CEO of the UK Meteorological Office that “we need to make short-term changes for things like cooling centers”. Local boroughs, such as Greenwich reported opening cooling stations in a number of public buildings (including libraries and the townhall) for a one week period this year (July 18th-25th ) and London provided maps of cool spaces (both indoor and outdoor spaces) where people can take refuge from the hot weather, and promoted these alongside “Refill London” which provides locations of more than 4000 places in the capital that people can fill up on free water.
It is noteworthy that information on the locations of these cool spaces and free water points required some digital interface — a significant potential barrier for some of those most at risk of heatstroke — the elderly and the homeless.
The cooling facilities in Sibi were placed close to bus stops to maximise reaching the key target groups, those away from home, travellers, and those forced to work outside, such as daily wage earners and local traders. Last year, Bright Star recorded a quarter of a million visits to their three cooling stations which were open for 20 days. During onsite evaluations, our researchers noted as many as 60 people visiting a facility in any 30-minute period. Usage was high in part because local communities and local government were involved in the design of the project, identifying what is needed and the best place to locate these facilities.
Location, location, location — provide cooling facilities in places where people that need them will see and use them — think beyond large air-conditioned spaces to the model used in Pakistan of temporary tented areas which provide somewhere to rest and rehydrate placed strategically where those most in need can access them.
Nearly everyone knows about the facility and it is easy for them to access because it is located in a public area. It is also easily accessible because it is near the main road which is in the middle of all major routes — 31-year-old male was interviewed in Balochi language at Bukhari Bus Stop Sibi in July 2022.
The most recent UK State of the Climate report shows that the top 10 warmest years for the UK since 1884 have occurred post-2002, and climate predictions suggest that by the end of the 21st century all areas of the UK will be warmer. At a global level, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) states that global surface temperatures have increased faster since 1970 than any other 50-year period over at least the last 2000 years and that it is certain that further increases in intensity and frequency of hot extremes will occur throughout the 21st century.
It is clear we need to prepare for a future of hotter temperatures and periods of extreme heat in the UK, and that we could learn a great deal from humanitarian NGOs in Pakistan who have been working with communities to provide solutions that result in greater impacts. From simple practical advice of using umbrellas for shade to ensuring cooling facilities and information and ways to stay cool are accessible to those who need it, this transfer of knowledge could significantly improve how we deal with heatwaves in the UK.
