Imagine a cyclone so bad it knocks out the electricity system for weeks or even months on end. And now imagine the cyclone being followed by a heatwave with temperatures well above 40°C, all while there is no power for air conditioning. In these circumstances, keeping people cool becomes as big a priority as providing clean water.

This scary scenario is increasingly likely thanks to global warming, according to a study published this week by climate scientist Tom Matthews.

But that’s not what people like me wanted to talk to Tom about. Instead, he was asked by newspapers and television to comment on the UK’s heatwave, which may have set numerous records but ultimately is relatively modest by global standards. While you may have had a sweltering past few nights (I know I have), the UK is wealthy enough to adapt to these stronger heatwaves, and temperatures in Europe remain some way below the ultimate limits that humans can endure.

However the same cannot be said for parts of India, Pakistan, the Gulf or East Asia, where heatwaves already go well into the 40s and beyond, and where the absolute increases in humid-heat will be largest. Tom worries that we aren’t paying enough attention to regions where heat is already a lethal hazard.

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