From triggering public health emergencies to disrupting food supply chains, lowering productivity and declining our quality of life, the ramifications of these extreme heat events are far-reaching and severe. Rapid urbanisation exacerbates the issue through the urban heat island effect — a phenomenon characterised by fewer green spaces, high population density, limited access to cooling, and dense building concentration — that renders urban areas significantly warmer than their rural counterparts. It becomes crucial to take urgent action to address these vulnerabilities by mitigating the causes of the warmer climate and by adapting to the impacts of climate change.

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