Physical Address
23,24,25 & 26, 2nd Floor, Software Technology Park India, Opp: Garware Stadium,MIDC, Chikalthana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431001 India
By Aayushi Sharma
Have you ever wondered if your city might one day feel like that hot and humid place you visited on vacation? Also, how will climate change transform the place you call home in the future?
Researchers from the University of Maryland have unveiled a groundbreaking climate map that predicts the future climates of cities worldwide. Known as “Future Urban Planets,” this innovative map offers a glimpse into what urban areas across the globe might feel like in 60 years. It predicts Delhi’s climate to be drier and Mumbai’s wetter than today in 2080.
Researchers found that Equatorial regions, home to over 3.3 billion people—or roughly 40 percent of the global population—are of particular concern. These areas are on track to develop climates more extreme than any currently inhabited, sparking fears that excessive heat and humidity could render them uninhabitable in the future. By 2010, about 6 percent of Earth’s land area had already shifted towards warmer and drier climates as compared to 1950. This transition was most pronounced in regions across North America, Europe, and Oceania. These continents experienced notable changes, with increasing temperatures and declining precipitation patterns altering ecosystems, water resources, and agricultural practices.
Here are some predictions of major Indian cities in the next 60 years:
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Summers in Mumbai are expected to be 3.4°C warmer and 7.4% wetter. Winters in this city are expected to be 4.5°C warmer and about 5.8% wetter.
New Delhi
Summers in Delhi are expected to be 4.5°C warmer and 1.4% drier. Winters are expected to be 4.9°C warmer and about 0.9% drier.
Patna, Bihar
Summers in Delhi are expected to be 4.4°C warmer and 30.1% wetter. Winters are expected to be 5.1°C warmer and 2.4% drier.
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Summers in Lucknow are expected to be 4.5°C warmer and 40.9% wetter. Winters are expected to be 5°C warmer and 4.3% wetter.
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Summers in Jaipur are expected to be 4.8°C warmer and 63.2% drier. Winters are expected to be 5.2°C warmer and 12.1% drier.
Hyderabad, Telangana
Summers in Hyderabad are expected to be 4.5°C warmer and 47.9% drier. Winters are expected to be 4.3°C warmer and 20.6% drier.
Dehradun, Uttrakhand
Summers in Dehradun are expected to be 4.2°C warmer and 34.4% wetter. Winters are expected to be 5.2°C warmer and 5.4% wetter.
Imagine your city transformed, its climate reshaped by global warming forces—this map makes it possible to see, understand, and prepare for the changes ahead. It provides its users a way to explore a future where today’s weather norms may become distant memories, and tomorrow’s climate realities are mapped out before their eyes.
Climate change has already begun to transform planet Earth, with its effects becoming increasingly evident across various ecosystems and human communities. Over the past century, the relentless rise in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial activities, has triggered a cascade of environmental changes. As greenhouse gas emissions continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, the next few decades are expected to witness an acceleration of these dramatic transformations. The frequency and intensity of heatwaves, droughts, and storms will likely increase, posing significant risks to agriculture, water resources, and human health. Coastal regions face heightened threats from sea level rise, which could lead to the displacement of millions of people and the loss of critical infrastructure. Moreover, the warming climate will continue to disrupt ecosystems, driving many species toward extinction and altering natural cycles and biodiversity.
References:
https://www.umces.edu/futureurbanclimates
Banner Image: Photo by Aditya Arora
