The research analyzed 108 cities in the United States and found that 94% of historically remodeled neighborhoods are hotter than other areas in the same city.
Vivek Shandas, lead author of the redlining study and professor of climate adaptation and urban policy at Portland State University, said that in addition to historic planning policies, the materials used to construct buildings also play a major role in amplifying the most severe effects of extreme heat. plays a role. , especially in low-income apartment complexes.
“What we see, because these high-density buildings are made of materials that are often able to withstand heavy loads from multiple floors, is that they are made of concrete and steel, which increases the heat ,” Shandas previously told CNN. “So not only do we have historical planning policies that are creating a distribution of heat that is uneven, we are also seeing that the types of buildings that move into historically disincentive neighborhoods are the types of buildings that are exposed to the sun’s solar radiation. maintain, and then increase it.”
Manhattan’s move from Central Park to East Harlem is having an impact, says Sonal Jessel, policy director at the Harlem-based nonprofit WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Jessel says the trees in wealthy and predominantly white Upper East Side neighborhoods are beginning to disappear. In contrast, East Harlem, a diverse and historically marginalized neighborhood, surrounded by freeways and streets, has less tree cover and more industry.
“After all, I would describe extreme heat as such a risk-multiplier,” Jessel told CNN. “This is not an issue that exists in a vacuum, and low-income communities or communities of color bear the brunt of all these various hardships.”
“And unfortunately, we are not well prepared, just generally speaking, for the summer, in the Pacific Northwest,” Shandas said. “That’s where the human side of this comes into play, is people recognizing that they are actually experiencing some level of heat stress and this may be an unfamiliar experience to them.”
June Spector, a professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, said heat exhaustion is one of the most common heat-related illnesses, yet many are unaware of its symptoms.
“You haven’t reached the point where your core body temperature has gone up, but you get nauseous, have a headache, you feel very tired, and if you’re in a really hot environment you’re probably somewhat are dehydrated,” Spector told CNN. “Having that awareness is really important because you don’t want to treat it or address it before it becomes more serious.”
In New York, Jessel is overseeing a flood of sustainable and equitable summer action plans, implementing an initiative focused on warmth, health and equity. A big part of that initiative is ensuring that low-income renters are well equipped to deal with extreme heat, as well as mitigating climate change through energy efficient buildings.
“It’s really up to us how we can mitigate this and, if possible, stop climate change,” Spector said, “but really adapt to it and figure out how we can make our communities work for everyone.” How to make it safe
CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta contributed to this report.
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