Health & Equity Impacts of Extreme Heat

Extreme heat is a hazard to human health and well-being, causing more deaths annually than any other weather-related hazard. Climate change is anticipated to worsen exposures to extreme heat in most parts of the world. The health impacts of extreme heat disproportionately impact communities that are already facing social and health inequities. Heat’s impacts on health extend beyond just heat waves, meaning that public health professionals and local governments need to consider protective measures both in the setting of extreme heat advisories as well as during hot seasons more generally. As communities everywhere struggle to manage the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need to be prepared for multiple simultaneous emergencies is starkly evident. While the threats of climate change and pandemics are global in nature, the scale of needed information and the development of public health interventions are highly local. This webinar will provide practical information on how to protect people from extreme heat, especially those at highest risk, over the coming months. Panelists will discuss federal research and resources and draw on case studies from Phoenix Arizona to inform a discussion of solutions at all scales. Join the Security and Sustainability Forum, Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, and panelists for a discussion based on the latest research, and invite your colleagues to sit in.