Adapting industry to withstand rising temperatures and future heatwaves
In this report, the IMechE considers the challenges of adapting industry to future climate change-induced heat-related impacts. It explores the effects on industry and its workforce of increases in ambient temperatures and more frequent, severe, prolonged heatwaves and how engineers should respond.
Adapting to, and preparing for, a warmer world will be essential for the future successful functioning of industry and in this regard the Institution of Mechanical Engineers makes the following recommendations:
- Industry needs to recognise that in many countries of the world their personnel, buildings and physical assets will be increasingly impacted by higher ambient temperatures and severe long-duration heatwaves, potentially leading to industrial unrest, operational shutdowns and lower levels of economic productivity.
- Government policymakers around the world need to recognise the potential productivity impacts of higher ambient temperatures and heat extremes on industries that underpin their national and local economic well-being and support them to adapt.
- The engineering profession worldwide is central to achieving a society well adapted to future climate change and, in this regard, engineers need to help industry prepare for the potential impacts of increased temperatures
- Academia and skills development bodies must recognise that current technical training and education provision for engineers was designed on the assumption of a climate-stable future, in which temperatures are like the recent past