Washington, D.C. — A new report from the Center for American Progress shows how climate change is driving extreme heat waves across the country, burdening families, and putting Americans’ health at risk.
This extreme heat is now the nation’s deadliest weather-related threat—straining hospitals and power grids, endangering workers, driving up utility bills, and straining ecosystems. It’s also deepening inequality by hitting older adults and low-income, Black, and brown communities the hardest.
Some of the most damaging effects include:
- Extreme heat kills more Americans than floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined.
- It is projected to lead to a cumulative total of about 28,000 more deaths in major U.S. urban areas each year by the 2090s.
- The risk of heat-related illness and death is particularly high for those who lack air-conditioning or cannot afford to run it, and this risk is escalating with climate change.
- Extreme heat is a growing drain on the U.S. economy, causing heath care costs to rise, straining the electric grid, and threatening the food supply.
The report recommends strategies to safeguard Americans from extreme heat:
- More leadership and planning for extreme heat
- Offering workers more protection from the heat
- Rebates and tax credits for heat pump air conditioning and energy efficiency improvements
- Lowering household energy costs
- Expanding clean energy investments to meet rising electricity demands and avoid power outages during extreme heat events
- Tree planting to cool neighborhoods
- Building cooling centers to keep people safe from the heat
Read the report: “Climate Change Is Subjecting More Americans to Unbearable Extreme Heat” by Jessica Ordóñez-Lancet, Jasia Smith, Cathleen Kelly, Kate Petosa, and Angelo Villagomez
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].