https://www.theguardian.com/environ...area-could-be-uninhabitable-by-end-of-century
Noting that there seems to be some significant contention I wish to clarify that my post concerning the effects on cities and infrastructure was in response to the above, in particular the comment regarding the requirement for a 12 degree rise made by Tisme at 3:00pm yesterday.
Regarding the specific impacts I mention, I wish to emphasise that I am referring to present day infrastructure, lifestyles and systems and not to what could theoretically be built. That is, I am referring to things such as present day roads, rail transport, electricity supply, motor vehicles, air-conditioning systems and social arrangements such as typical "office hours" daytime working arrangements, the typical times which schools and shops operate and the like.
In simple terms, in theory yes we could design and install air-conditioning that works at 60 degrees, buses that can be driven safely and reliably at 70 degrees and so on but I am referring to what is actually in existence today. Not one rail line, road, train, bus, car, power station, transmission or distribution line, air-conditioner or building in use today in Australia was designed with any serious thought that outside air temperatures measured in accordance with proper meteorological standards would reach the high 50's.
The house I've just bought and am about to move in to is presumably wired with cable having a rated limit of 75 degrees for the insulation. Allowing for solar radiation increasing the roof space temperature above ambient plus heat generated by current flow through the wiring (all electrical cables do that, it's unavoidable in practice) it would in practice have a woefully inadequate capacity with an ambient temperature of 59 degrees. Yes the house could be wired differently but that ain't cheap. I haven't investigated it, I'm not living in the place yet, but that's what I'd expect to find.
The typical consumer grade air-conditioner won't be working at that temperature either. I'm not sure exactly at what point it would fail but anything above the low 40's the risk arises. Past extreme heat in Vic and SA is known to have created issues for some systems.
The car I've got now wouldn't have been designed for that. It might survive cruising or going downhill but should I find myself stuck in traffic going nowhere in full sun and with negligible wind then I'd be expecting trouble. If my car doesn't overheat then many others will so either way the road becomes useless as a means of transport and we're all stuck.
That's without even mentioning the human effects or those on wildlife, plants etc. I've spent full days outside previously in SA with maximum temperatures of 44 - 45, I've experienced about 46 in the US and I've experienced low 40's in the Middle East. Considering that, and the differences compared with temperatures approximately 13 degrees lower (ie low 30's), I will simply say that it is a vast difference and I have serious doubts as to the practicality of humans functioning in the high 50's. Even if it's survivable it would be incredibly unproductive doing any manual sort of work that's for sure.