Extreme Heat: What the Gulf Countries Can Teach the Rest of the World

During the last year, climbing temperatures set records across the world, fueling floods and wildfires, taxing businesses and making it dangerous for an ever-expanding range of activities to be outside during the day or inside without air-conditioning. Scientists say the Middle East, which is warming at nearly twice the global average, is particularly at risk. Last year, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and Iraq all posted temperatures above 122 degrees Fahrenheit, while Kuwait set a new record high of 127 degrees.

As swaths of the world face rising temperatures, what do the experiences of the Gulf countries show us about what might be in store for the world? How is extreme heat taxing societies and revealing the inequities in who loses out the most? How are adaptation measures in these countries, often funded by extensive oil wealth, showcasing how difficult and costly it is for humans to survive — and remain comfortable — in extreme heat?