In response to extreme weather conditions, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health and Welfare are collaborating on an action plan, making “cold-weather adaptation” a key component, the environment ministry said yesterday.
People have adapted to warm winters, as temperatures have climbed over the past few years due to climate change, the environment ministry said.
The human body has therefore become less responsive to sudden cold temperatures caused by cold air masses or cold waves during warm winters, it said.
Photo: CNA
People with cardiovascular diseases, chronic diseases or those with weak immune systems are particularly prone to threats from sudden plunges in temperature, it added.
The health ministry has issued health warnings and self-protection measures to inform the public of the dangers of cold temperatures, the environment ministry said.
The National Climate Change Committee and the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee last month held a meeting to discuss the impact of climate change on public health, it said.
During the meeting, Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) and Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) reached a consensus that adapting to the cold should be an important part of the action plan, it added.
The environment ministry said it would also continue to improve its strategies to be in line with climate developments, it said, adding that its goal is to shift from passive response to automated reporting, building a sustained system for climate-related health protection.
Meanwhile, private businesses have also taken the initiative to help people battle the cold, posting notices that invite people to come inside to warm up without requiring purchases.
President Chain Store Corp (統一超商), the parent company of 7-Eleven in Taiwan, in June last year launched a new policy echoing the environment ministry’s temperature adaptation program.
That came after 7-Eleven stores were included in the Cool Map program as air-conditioned zones.
The environment ministry expressed its gratitude to convenience stores for serving as “urban shelters,” providing relief from the heat in the summer and the cold in winter, “showcasing community resilience.”
In related news, the Central Weather Administration yesterday issued low-temperature alerts for 12 cities and counties in northern and eastern Taiwan, and two outlying counties, warning residents to prepare for sharply colder conditions as a cold surge moves south.
The advisory is in effect through tonight.
Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu De-rong (吳德榮) said temperatures in lowland areas could even drop below 6°C today and tomorrow, marking Taiwan’s second significant cold surge of the season, after the surge in early January.
Additional reporting by CNA
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