Extreme Heat
How Hot is Too Hot?
While they may not sound extreme, temperatures over 90 degrees can easily pose fatal risks and could have long-term impacts on public health.
Street Trees as Climate Resilience
An Austin-based urban designer explains how protecting and encouraging the planting of street trees will make the city more resilient to increasingly common extreme heat events, among many other benefits.
Study: One-Quarter of L.A. County Bus Stops Equipped With Shelters
Bus riders in Los Angeles frequently lack protection from sun and extreme heat, with bus stops in some of the county’s hottest areas having the worst amenities.
Extreme Heat Responsible for Growing Death Rates Among Unhoused People
Extreme heat events like the ‘heat dome’ that baked Southern California last summer kill a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness, who have fewer resources to protect themselves from the scorching sun.
Planting More Trees to Protect and Save Lives
A new study estimates that more than a third of premature deaths from excessive heat can be prevented by planting more trees in cities.
How the Urban Tree Canopy Can Save Lives in a Heat Wave
New research reveals the direct link between planting more trees and a reduction in heat-related deaths.
Survey: Mayors Concerned About Direct Impacts of Climate Change
Almost all U.S. mayors have some level of concern about climate change in their communities, but local leaders face some challenges in taking action.
The Importance of Cooling Centers
A new UCLA study examines how formal and informal cooling centers are being used in Los Angeles County.
Miami-Dade Issues ‘Extreme Heat Action Plan’
The county’s plan addresses a range of infrastructure improvements and community resources that could limit the impacts of extreme heat waves.
The High Cost of Climate Disasters
Extreme weather events in the United States cost $165 billion and killed more than 474 people last year.
Los Angeles County Launches Environmental Justice Department
The new department will develop plans for addressing the impacts of air and water pollution, extreme heat, and climate change on vulnerable communities.
How California Kept the Lights On
To stave off rolling blackouts during a record heat wave, California relied on dramatic conservation by households and a growing renewable energy sector.
L.A. Bus Stops Offer No Relief From Searing Temperatures
As heat waves intensify, bus riders in Los Angeles are forced to wait at bus stops that offer little shade or seating, putting vulnerable residents at risk of heat stroke and other health impacts.
Los Angeles Parents Demand Greener Schoolyards
With asphalt temperatures reaching as much as 150 degrees, parents and advocates are asking the city’s school district to provide more shade, trees, and other heat mitigation features on its schoolyards and playgrounds.
World’s First Municipal ‘Heat Officers’ Combat Extreme Heat
As extreme heat threatens infrastructure and public health, municipal ‘heat officers’ work to develop cooling strategies to keep urban residents safe from increasingly hot temperatures.
What Is the Urban Heat Island Effect?
Man-made surfaces and urban density contribute to higher temperatures, intensifying heat waves and posing a growing danger to public health.
How Extreme Weather Threatens Transit Systems
As weather events become more intense and unpredictable, transit agencies must take steps to protect their aging infrastructure from flooding, storms, and extreme heat.
Infrastructure Must Catch Up With Climate Change
The worsening effects of extreme weather events are accelerating the deterioration of critical infrastructure, leaving communities more vulnerable.
This Street Treatment Fights Extreme Heat
Applied to streets, parking lots, and other asphalt surfaces, a reflective epoxy coating can lower temperatures by as much as 10 degrees and cool neighborhoods vulnerable to extreme heat.
Oregon Law Requires Cooling, but Could Leave Many Renters Out
A state bill requiring landlords to allow tenants to install portable air conditioners comes with a raft of exemptions that could restrict the most affordable options.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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