Paris, 14 August 2024: Dallol in Ethiopia is widely cited as the warmest inhabited place on earth. A geological marvel, its otherworldly landscape is dotted with acidic pools, salt formations and hot springs which release minerals and gases, contributing to the scorching temperatures. The resilient Afar pastoralists who live there have adapted to the extreme climate, where the thermometer can hit 49°C.
While this puts Hong Kong in the shade, so to speak, it doesn’t make our humid summers feel any less sticky, even more so this year. The Observatory’s “very hot weather” warning has been in place for two-thirds of the days since 1 July; on 5 August, residents sweated through the hottest day of the year as temperatures topped 38°C in parts of the New Territories; climate experts, meanwhile, believe our city could be on course for its warmest ever year.
Naturally, it is the underprivileged who suffer most. A survey has found residents of our notorious subdivided flats endure temperatures up to 6°C higher than the average outdoor level. Some simply cannot afford to turn on a fan or aircon. Almost 86% report experiencing symptoms of heatstroke while at home. Such indoor conditions are “unsuitable for humans”, observes Gladys Wong of CarbonCare InnoLab, one of the NGOs behind the study.
Not that outside is any better. A poll of street cleaners by the Concern for Grassroots’ Livelihood Alliance has 90% reporting tiredness, thirst, headaches, dizziness, rises in body temperature and nausea. Questions are being raised over the effectiveness of the Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system, rolled out 15 months ago, which provides employers with non-mandatory guidelines for safeguarding workers’ health. More than half of those surveyed insist it is insufficient.
A new problem? Hardly. Heatwaves in our city may have contributed to more than 1,600 fatalities in the past decade, according to University of Hong Kong researchers, who are urging authorities to create an extreme weather action plan to reduce health risks. “These are preventable deaths,” points out study head Professor David Bishai, citing elderly residents as especially vulnerable. The issue will only worsen; the number of extreme heat warnings from our government has increased by 25% in the past 10 years.
Of course, we are not alone. Heatwaves have scorched parts of northern China, while torrential rains have triggered floods and landslides in central and southern areas. China’s national weather office has confirmed this past July as the nation’s hottest month since records began. Further afield, the EU’s climate monitor, Copernicus Climate Change Service, says it is “increasingly likely” that 2024 will be the hottest year on record. Global temperatures are running at 0.7°C above the 1991-2020 average.
Paris, where I have just finished watching the Olympics – often with awestruck grandson Nathan by my side – has also been sultry. While this latest edition of the sporting spectacular only ranks second to Tokyo three years ago as the warmest Games on record, the viral video of Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon sleeping on the grass in a Paris park instead of his sweltering room in the Olympic Village says much.
Elite athletes should get used to it. Most of the world’s cities will be unable to host the Olympics during summer in the coming decades as they exceed the threshold of safe humid heat, according to CNN, which has analysed data from non-profit climate science group CarbonPlan. It notes some cities which have previously hosted the Games – namely Beijing, Athens, Rome, Atlanta, Tokyo and Seoul – will be way beyond safe temperatures by 2050.
Thankfully, Hong Kong athletes have shown they can thrive in the, erm, heat of competition. Returning with gold are fencers Cheung Ka-long – repeating his Tokyo triumph – and Vivian Kong while swimmer Siobhan Haughey is now our most decorated Olympian, coming home with a pair of bronze medals to go with her two silvers from three years ago. Our leader John Lee hopes the trio will inspire Hong Kong’s youth. “We can all be champions of our own stories,” he says.
If they gave gold medals for community service, John Budge would struggle to fit them all around his neck. A fellow solicitor and good friend, John has dedicated four-plus decades to assisting the disadvantaged and vulnerable in Hong Kong. He is my latest guest on Law & More, where his enthusiasm and passion for our great city shine through. Please listen. Similarly, wise words can be expected from former Director of Public Prosecutions and Justice of Appeal Ian McWalters when he delivers our annual Criminal Law Lecture next month. The event is free and open to the public – you can register for it here.
Amid our sporting success and community solidarity, top government adviser Regina Ip has seized the baton by suggesting the Belt and Road Initiative – China’s colossal global infrastructure project – should spawn an inaugural Olympics-style sporting event for involved nations. With Hong Kong co-hosting alongside several southern Chinese cities, it could be “just like the Commonwealth Games”, she cheers, perhaps not the best comparison given the latter is widely unloved, unwanted and viewed as a fading relic of British colonialism.
Still, Regina thinks her Belt and Road Games concept is a winner. She has suggested it to John Lee and is hopeful – rather fittingly, in this sizzling summer – he will warm to the idea.
Until next time, everybody!
Colin Cohen
Senior Partner
Boase Cohen & Collins
