UN heat expert to discuss heat-stress mitigation strategies with Bahrain government

TDT | Manama       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Ashen Tharaka

UN-Habitat's Global Chief Heat Officer, Eleni (Lenio) Myrivili, is in Bahrain to discuss heat-stress mitigation strategies with government officials and stakeholders.

Myrivili is a leading expert on heat stress and climate change, and her visit to Bahrain comes at a time when the country is facing increasing heat waves and other climate-related challenges.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Tribune, Myrivili said heat stress is a major public health threat in Bahrain and other GCC countries. "Heat stress can cause a variety of health problems, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and respiratory problems," she said.

"It can also be deadly, especially for the elderly, children, and people with chronic health conditions. Myrivili said there are a number of things that can be done to mitigate heat stress, including planting more trees to provide shade on streets and buildings, creating more green spaces and parks, improving public transportation and making it easier for people to walk and bike, providing cooling centres for people who need to escape the heat, and educating people about the risks of heat stress and how to stay safe.

She also stressed the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to address the root cause of climate change. "We need to take urgent action to reduce our emissions," she said.

"Otherwise, we will continue to see more extreme heat waves and other climate-related disasters. The Bahraini government has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. Myrivili said that this is a positive step, but more needs to be done.

"We need to accelerate our efforts to reduce emissions and also need to invest in adaptation measures to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change. Myrivili’s visit to Bahrain is part of a broader UN-Habitat initiative to raise awareness of heat stress and climate change.

The organisation is working with governments and communities around the world to develop and implement strategies to mitigate heat stress and adapt to climate change. "We need to act now to protect our communities from the impacts of heat stress; the future of our planet depends on it," she said.

In the interview, Myrivili also discussed the latest trends in heat research in Bahrain and the MENA region. She said that the region is facing a number of challenges. Those include increasing heat waves and other extreme weather events; rising sea levels, which could inundate coastal areas; decreasing water availability; and increasing air pollution.

Myrivili’s visit to Bahrain is a timely reminder of the importance of taking action on climate change. Though the region is facing a number of challenges, there are also opportunities to build a more sustainable future and protect the community from the impacts of heat stress.