The ongoing topic of climate change constantly surfaces throughout news outlets globally. Recent discoveries unfold the devastating future for over 100 million Americans: the Extreme Heat Belt. The heat belt extends from Texas to the Great Lakes and both East and West coasts. CNN researchers declare states affected will reach temperatures succeeding the National Weather Service’s extreme danger category of 125°F. 

 “Increasing temperatures are broadly discussed as averages, but the focus should be on the extension of the extreme tail events expected in a given year. We need to be prepared for the inevitable, that a quarter of the country will soon fall inside the Extreme Heat Belt with temperatures exceeding 125°F and the results will be dire,” founder of First Street Foundation Matthew Eby said.

As of 2022, the Extreme Heat Belt affects around 8 million citizens, but as early as 2053, the heat belt will affect over 107 million people nationwide. The reason for the heat rising results directly from climate change. As the heat increases, the amounts of water in lakes and rivers decrease. Droughts from the lack of rain in states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, alarm citizens occupying these areas. States like Utah spent over 20 days in the triple digits degrees. America could carry no hope of the heat decreasing without changes made environmentally.

“There could be 30 additional days in summer across the Gulf Coast over 100 degrees. [This is] additional from where we are now. Now, this is 2053. A few years ago there was a research project that said London could get to 104 [degrees] by 2040. Their 2040 came in 2022 because it was 104 this year. Meaning more air conditioning, meaning more CO2 in the atmosphere, if we are still using fossil fuels by then,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. 

Other countries apart from the US also suffer from drought and dangerous temperatures. Most recent news of heat waves includes it striking several parts of the United Kingdom along with cities across the world, which trace back to global warming. To reverse the effects, action needs to happen immediately. Switching to solar energy, driving electric cars and cutting down the use of fossil fuels, can help slow the process of global warming. Tasks to reduce climate change from home consist of using less plastic, conserving energy and minimizing water usage.

“It’s a super scary thing to think that in 30 years we will be suffering through unbearable heat. I worry especially for the younger people like my students and daughter. I hope some kind of permanent action is taken to prevent the new generation from suffering through the previous generation’s actions. We need to solve this problem before it’s too late,” NC teacher Tatiana Watson said.