When we talk about heat waves, we often think only of very hot days or temporary discomfort. However, not every hot day is a heat wave, and their effects go far beyond the perceived temperature. In recent decades, these events have become more frequent and intense.

When we look at historical data, we see that rising temperatures do not occur randomly but are linked to global changes, such as the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Still, this data does not merely describe the planet’s climate as a whole: it helps us estimate probabilities, project future scenarios, and reflect on the risks to which we are exposed. But the risk is not the same for everyone. The same heat wave can have very different effects depending on where people live, the conditions of their homes, access to healthcare, and other social factors.

Activity Objectives

• Distinguish what heat waves are and recognize, using real data, the role of climate change in their intensification.
• Understand how to use probabilities to estimate the likelihood of new heat waves and apply this to climate projections based on historical data.
• Understand the role of social vulnerability in conventional risk assessment, considering the impacts on health and infrastructure.
• Categorize different groups of people based on the risks they face, taking vulnerability into account.