It’s been a record-breaking hot summer and, according to the World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, July was the world’s warmest month ever recorded.

Both organizations last week told the Associated Press that Earth’s temperature has been temporarily passing over a key warming threshold: The internationally accepted goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

Richmonders and others in surrounding areas have felt the heat, leading the City of Richmond to announce cooling stations last week at the Social Services Marshall Plaza Building and the Southside Community Service Center from Wednesday through Saturday. Although Richmond’s back-to-back temperatures in the mid-90s have subsided, the City’s libraries continue to serve as cooling stations Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, the Petersburg Transit Station at 100 W. Washington St. is available to city residents from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Monday through Saturday.

Me.anwhile, Virginians can expect to see rising temperatures throughout August as a heatwave approaches southern parts of the United States. A heatwave is defined by the National Weather Service as a “period of abnormally hot weather generally lasting more than two days.” If the necessary precautions are not taken, severe health consequences will be felt not only in Virginia but also nationally.

During heatwaves or warmer days, bustling urban centers can experience what is called an “urban heat island” effect which is when the city’s dark-colored infrastructure absorbs heat, intensifying the already unbearable conditions. About 41 million city residents in the United States can feel temperatures increase by 8 degrees or more compared to the surrounding temperatures. In addition, low-income residents are disproportionately impacted by this extreme heat due to a lack of green space and cooling infrastructure in their neighborhoods. There also been a spike in heat-related deaths and hospitalizations of outdoor workers in states that have been hit by the summer heatwaves.

The average annual heat-related death count has increased 95% from 2010 to 2022 with over 1,500 deaths last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. However, this number is likely an underestimate with other research approximating at least 10,000 Americans dying due to heat.

To stay safe from the impacts of severe heat, the National Weather Service advises that citizens should reduce time outside, stay hydrated, use air conditioning, fans, or relax in a public air-conditioned location, and check on those who are more vulnerable to heat

Additionally, several cities are combating this extreme weather and the resulting health crisis by implementing strategies such as planting trees and replacing pavement with cooler alternatives.

However, environmentalists suggest more holistic approaches, focusing on the root of the problem, climate change, need to be enacted to reduce the risk of heat events in future summers. Such strategies include electrifying the vehicle fleet to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels.

Last April, the Biden administration proposed the nation’s most ambitious climate regulations to date: Two plans designed to ensure two-thirds of new passenger cars and a quarter of new heavy trucks sold in the United States are all electric by 2032, according to The New York Times.

For Virginia, all new vehicle sales in the state must be all electric by 2035 in accordance with the Biden administration’s plan.