Climate change to expose half of world's population to disease-spreading mosquitoes by 2050, study finds

Over the next 30 years, mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and the Zika virus are on course to spread – posing a risk to half the world’s population, new research has revealed.

Climate change and modern travel are facilitating
 the spread of diseases around the world.

Two of the main disease-spreading mosquitoes – Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – are forecast to significantly expand their range due to warming temperatures.

The models predict that by 2050, 49 per cent of the world’s population will live in places where these species are established if greenhouse gas emissions continue at current rates, and if they are not curbed, even greater areas will be at risk.

Read the story from the Independent by Harry Cockburn - “Climate change to expose half of world's population to disease-spreading mosquitoes by 2050, study finds.”

Dehydration, death and power cuts: What 50C days would look like in Australia

Australia is hot. But future extreme hot weather will be worse still, with new research predicting that Sydney and Melbourne are on course for 50 degrees Celsius summer days by the 2040s if high greenhouse emissions continue.

That means that places such as Perth, Adelaide and various regional towns could conceivably hit that mark even sooner.

This trend is worrying, but not particularly surprising given the fact that Australia is setting hot weather records at 12 times the pace of cold ones. But it does call for an urgent response.

Most of us are used to hot weather, but temperatures of 50℃ present unprecedented challenges to our health, work, transport habits, leisure and exercise.

Read the piece from The Conversation by Liz Hanna of the Australian National University as published by ABC News - “Dehydration, death and power cuts: What 50C days would look like in Australia.”