This week is projected to capture the hottest average global temperature on record, while much of the U.S. is experiencing a heat wave.
Such sweltering conditions in the U.S., brought on by El Niño and human-caused climate change, could be particularly tough on low-income people and people of color — especially those who lack air conditioning, live in neighborhoods with little tree coverage, or have pre-existing health issues that make them extra vulnerable to extreme heat.
“Low-income families living in aging homes with inefficient temperature control and poor air quality are most at risk for health and safety challenges,” Rebuilding Together Houston, which said it was providing window AC units to qualifying families, wrote in its tweet. “As climate change makes spells of extreme heat more common across the U.S., policymakers should consider a range of adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect the public’s health and safety,” the researchers wrote.