CHRISTCHURCH: More than 3.3 billion people live in the tropics, representing about 40 per cent of the world’s population. Despite some areas of affluence, such as Singapore, the tropics are also home to about 85 per cent of the world’s poorest people and are therefore particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. The tropics are expected to experience rising temperatures and changes to rainfall, and the question is whether this could make this region uninhabitable. How would this happen? READ: Commentary: How prepared is Singapore for the next flash flood? LISTEN: Feeding the planet and heating it up: How agriculture impacts our environment HEAT STRESS Humans regulate their body temperature in warm conditions through sweating. The sweat evaporates and cools the skin. But if conditions are humid, sweating and evaporation are much less effective. Humans can survive and function in quite high temperatures if humidity is low, but as humidity increases … [Read more...] about Commentary: Living in the tropics under climate change will be challenging