White House statement on the consequences of extreme heat.
The Biden Administration has launched a plan to combat the effects of heat on its citizens.
Extreme heat poses a threat to communities across the country, but some communities are at greater risk due to long-standing economic and racial inequities and existing vulnerabilities. Blacks, indigenous people and other people of colour, as well as low-income people, are more likely to live in areas with intense heat impacts and often have less access to air conditioning and other risk reduction resources.
Cities are also facing greater impacts due to the effect of the "urban heat islandwhich refers to high temperatures due to the prevalence of heat-retaining surfaces. This effect may be more severe in neighbourhoods affected by social exclusion and other forms of institutionalised discrimination, as these areas tend to have less tree cover and a higher concentration of pavement.
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