- Kuwait's Intense Heat: Existence Fades Beyond Doorsteps
When Ali Habib can longer endure temperatures hovering around 50 degrees Celsius, he rises from his chair under a sun shelter at a scorching street corner, steps into his automobile, and activates the air conditioning for a moment. Habib, who peddles sunflower seeds to motorists here for more than 12 hours a day, is familiar with the harshness of such a summer in intense heat. Kuwait radiates heat like an oven. Breathing is laborious, skin and hair warm up in minutes. Those with leisure time stay indoors during the day if they don't have to.
Kuwait, sandwiched between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, foreshadows the experience of life under climate change. In regions whose habitability becomes unbearable due to extreme heat, daily life predominantly happens within four walls. The prediction is that the temperature will escalate by up to 2.5 degrees Celsius in the next 50 to 75 years, potentially rendering large sections of the country inhospitable for human existence, according to "Kuwait Times," citing data from the environmental authority. According to a Harvard study, there could be 13 fatalities per 100 due to climate change.
"It's like there's no exterior world"
Many affluent locals seldom venture beyond their air-conditioned homes and offices in the summer, preferring instead to travel in air-conditioned vehicles to air-conditioned shopping malls, stores, or eateries. "It's almost as if there's no exterior world," remarked Sharifa al-Shaalan, an architect based in Kuwait, to the "Guardian."
In Mitribah, outside Kuwait City, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recorded the world's third-highest temperature of 53.9 degrees in 2016. Only Death Valley, California (56.7 degrees - 1913) and Kebili, Tunisia (55.0 degrees - 1931) were hotter. The WMO maintains these figures until hard evidence to the contrary surfaces. Kuwait surpassed the 50-degree mark this year in May, marking the earliest such occurrence in decades.
"I come here every day around halfway through six or seven," says a 50-year-old man engaged in a sports walk around "The Avenues," a climate-controlled shopping and dining complex. Chilly air blasts out through vents, and one's nose runs. Under a glass roof, birds fly. "It feels like you're outside running," quipped an enthusiastic New Zealander. Some shopping malls even offer indoor tracks for walking and jogging on upper floors.
Decomposed fish and dying palm trees
Outside, where the sun continues its relentless assault, the heat stress on animals and plants is palpable. A local journalist noted that stray cats often suffer heatstroke in the summer and are frequently brought to veterinary clinics. Birds often succumb to heatstroke on roofs because they cannot find shade or water. Deceased fish have washed ashore multiple times, presumably due to a lack of oxygen in the hot bay water.
At Kuwait's seaside promenade, pigeons congregate in the shade of a palm tree. Trees lining the sidewalk wilt due to the heat, even those resistant to it, appear dried out on the side of the road, their foliage withered.
Doctor: Temperatures above 40 degrees for prolonged periods can be lethal
In extreme humidity, such as the one along the Kuwait coast, the body can no longer cool off through perspiration, says Dr. Andrea Nakoinz of the German Alliance on Climate Change and Health. Sweat ceases to evaporate from the skin, which would typically serve as a cooling mechanism. "In such cases, temperatures above 40 degrees for prolonged periods can be fatal."
Air-conditioned buildings that consume large amounts of energy are not an ideal solution either. The dry air from air conditioners can irritate the respiratory system, making it more susceptible to infections, according to Nakoinz. Long-term exposure to air-conditioned environments can cause circulatory collapse in those with pre-existing conditions, she adds.
Kuwait's predicament revolves around oil, which was discovered in 1938. The proceeds of oil export – Kuwait holds some of the world's largest oil reserves – fueled growth, skyscrapers, and superhighways. Concurrently, the state and its citizens have developed a dependency on this resource, which the world must wean itself of if it intends to curb the effects of climate change, such as intense heat. By 2030, Kuwait aims to source 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources, but the share was only 0.2 percent in 2019, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Kuwait features one of the world's highest electricity consumption rates, and it continues to climb.
"Oil keeps us mobile" and "powers our world," reads a plaque at a museum near the largest oil field, Burgan. "Our oil" is revered as "our people," "our world," and "our future." Oil symbolizes progress; it's a matter of national pride, not an environmentally harmful substance as environmental activists in Europe perceive it. In the museum shop of Kuwait, there's a laughing oil barrel mascot with a hard hat and blue overalls in children's sizes.
Kuwait boasts the cheapest gasoline in the Gulf, according to the owner of a tourism company. Due to government subsidies, a liter of premium costs around 60 Euro cents at pump stations, less than a liter of Coca-Cola. When he stops and exits for 15 to 20 minutes, the man leaves his engine running to keep his vehicle cool. His fuel economy ranges between 14 and 20 liters per 100 kilometers.
Ambling pedestrians at intersections shield themselves with umbrellas and scarves barely covering their faces, safeguarding from the blazing sun and smog. Majority of beaches remain unfrequented, only a handful of resilient characters enjoying the scorching midday sun or dragging their feet into the cooling waves.
The severity of global warming affects the marginalized segments of society first. Developing sites for construction in the vicinity of Chaitan witness Indian or Sri Lankan laborers blending cement and laying pipes. Labor is prohibited outdoors between 11 am and 4 pm during the summer due to the heat. This substantial portion of Kuwait's populace (approximately two-thirds) who are foreign migrant workers, are at high risk of heat-associated ailments, as per the World Health Organization's observations.
At the bustling fish market, hauling in the day's catch, Egyptians toil at a staggering 48 degrees Celsius. "What can I accomplish?" questions Hamid Mohammed Issa, a veteran of 42 years in Kuwait. Beads of sweat cascade down his forehead like a waterfall. "I need to provide for myself."
Despite the overwhelming heat, Ali Habib checks the weather forecast every day to plan his sunflower seed sale during the scorching hours. The harsh summer weather in Kuwait often leads to weather warnings, urging people to stay indoors and avoid direct sunlight.
