By DEBORA ARU
MAJOR cities around the world could be experiencing a different climate entirely in the next 30 years as temperatures rise. Hong Kong and Shenzhen in China could go from a temperate climate with dry winters to tropical monsoons, and Oslo and St Petersburg could start seeing temperatures more commonly seen in southern Europe.
The impact of climate change in coming decades has been analysed by the 2050 Climate Change City Index, which looks at how some of the most popular cities in the world will be affected.
The Index, released by the apartment rentals platform Nestpick.com, includes studies looking at changes in sea-levels, temperatures, climate, and water availability.
Bangkok, in Thailand, was the most at risk of rising sea-levels - and likely to be worst hit overall by climate change over the next 30 years.
By 2050, most of the city is likely to be below sea level and at increasing risk of coastal flooding. The average temperature will increase by 1.7°C, from 28.4°C to 30.1°C.
Amsterdam and Ho Chi Minh City also face an increasing risk of flooding, as does Cardiff, which could find itself more at risk than New Orleans or Manila, in the Philippines.
Melbourne, Australia may experience the most significant change to water availability. The city currently uses 20% more water than its local supply but demand is projected to be double the supply in the city by 2040, a fivefold increase.
Doha, in Qatar, currently has the biggest mismatch, with demand 52 times higher than the local water supply.
However, that’s actually projected to decrease slightly, to 51 times by 2040.
Ljubljana, Slovenia, is likely to see the greatest potential temperature shift by 2050, with an increase of 3.5°C, followed by US cities Cincinnati and Baltimore (up 3.4°C).
At the other end of the scale, Rio de Janeiro has the smallest potential temperature shift of 1.0°C, followed by Belfast and Cape Town (1.1°C).
Rio, along with Marseille, France, and Orlando, Florida, has the lowest overall climate shift scores in the Index, indicating they are at a lower risk of sealevel rises and their climates may alter less drastically in the next thirty years, compared to other cities in the study.