Cities around the world are now hotter than ever. In addition to global warming, urban areas tend to be warmer than nearby suburban and rural ones because they have less green space and more heat-absorbing buildings and roads. Extreme urban temperatures can be especially dangerous for people walking and cycling, including those who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Heat stress combined with physical exertion can lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and cardiovascular strain. Between March and June of this year, extreme heat took its toll across India. Temperatures climbed to 50 °C (122 °F) in Eastern India during the region’s longest-ever recorded heat wave. In the city of New Delhi, almost 200 unhoused people died from heat-related illness in one week in June according to Reuters. Outdoor workers in the city suffered too: “My body can’t take it, but I have to keep cycling,” said one bicycle rickshaw driver in a 2024 CNN report.
The post To Combat Extreme Heat, Let’s Invest in Better Walking and Cycling Networks first appeared on Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
