As intense heat waves become more common, the risk of heat-related deaths is rising.
Deaths from heat-related illnesses in the United States have more than doubled since 1999, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open.
“Heat-related mortality rates have been rising steadily since 2016, the researchers noted, with the highest number recorded in 2023, the hottest year on record,” writes Samantha Anderer. The mortality rate rose by 17 percent between 2016 and 2023.
The researchers add that some deaths may be misclassified, so heat-related deaths could be higher. “The researchers noted that the rise in temperatures from climate change would increase these types of deaths even more.”
Read the full story: Study: Heat-Related Deaths on the Rise in US Since 2016
Arizona had its hottest spring in 131 years
Average March temperatures across the state were 12.5 degrees above normal.
LA County Adopts Maximum Indoor Temperature Ordinance to Protect Renters from Extreme Heat
LA County has adopted an ordinance capping indoor temperatures in rental units at 82 degrees Fahrenheit in unincorporated areas, aiming to protect renters from extreme heat while providing phased compliance and support for small landlords.
How Extreme Heat Impacts Children
As summers get hotter and more dangerous, parents can take steps to protect kids from heat-related illnesses.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland
Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.
How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on
The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority