EGU24-12807, updated on 09 Mar 2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12807
EGU General Assembly 2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Children disproportionally exposed to attributable heatwaves at low-latitude low-income countries

Rosa Pietroiusti1, Erich Fischer2, Rupert Stuart-Smith3, Luke Harrington4, Luke Grant5, Annalisa Savaresi6,7,8, Sam Adelman9, and Wim Thiery1
Rosa Pietroiusti et al.
  • 1Department of Water and Climate, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium (rosa.pietroiusti@vub.be)
  • 2Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
  • 3Oxford Sustainable Law Programme, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  • 4Te Aka Ma ̄tuatua School of Science, University of Waikato, Hillcrest, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • 5Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, Canada
  • 6School of Law, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
  • 7Centre for Climate Change, Environmental and Energy Law, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
  • 8School of Law, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
  • 9School of Law, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Heatwaves are increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration, and represent the category of extreme event that is most easily attributable to anthropogenic warming. Yet how the spatiotemporal patterns of attribution outcomes link to population dynamics and demographic patterns is still poorly understood. Here we investigate whether children and young people are already being affected by a disproportionately greater number of attributable heat extremes, especially in the Global South. Using observations, reanalysis, and simulations of temperature changes available through the ISIMIP3b and CMIP6 projects, in combination with demographic data, we will investigate whether temperature extremes emerge more clearly and consistently from the noise across low-income countries in lower latitudes, which have some of the youngest populations. Our anticipated findings could have implications for children and young people seeking redress from climate harms, for example through climate lawsuits.

How to cite: Pietroiusti, R., Fischer, E., Stuart-Smith, R., Harrington, L., Grant, L., Savaresi, A., Adelman, S., and Thiery, W.: Children disproportionally exposed to attributable heatwaves at low-latitude low-income countries, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-12807, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12807, 2024.