Heat and inequality

UC Irvine study finds those in underserved communities can reach burn-risk temps.

In our new Colliding Crises report, we analyzed the exposure of a subset of affordable housing units-and their residents-to extreme heat. We used the National Weather Service (NWS) county-level heat alerts between May and October 2024.

Using individual transaction-level data for US households in 2004–2019, the study finds that added sugar consumption is positively related to temperature, notably within 12–30 °C at a rate of 0.70 g °C−1.

Extreme heat damages crops and increases the number of strongly undernourished households in terms of calories, iron, and other nutrients. While some households cope by buying food grown elsewhere, the poorest remain highly vulnerable.

During heat waves, people experiencing homelessness are in great danger. Without shelter, they’re more likely to die from heat-related illnesses than the general public.

The urban heat island sits in a rural heat ocean.

Using the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) data from 2021 to 2023, this study compares heat-related illness (HRI) in urban and rural areas of the U.S.

Discover how climate change is widening inequalities among rural poor, women, and youth, and explore actionable solutions to protect the most vulnerable in this FAO report.

Heatwaves expose existing inequalities while giving rise to new disparities. Not everyone faces the consequences of heat equally; there is a stark divide depending on the socioeconomic situation.

Researchers investigate how extreme temperatures affect men and women differently, highlighting greater risks for women due to social and physiological factors