There’s no doubt that lower income neighborhoods suffer from persistent bouts of very high “highs” and very high “lows” in daily temperatures.
In Phoenix and Maricopa County, the number of heat-related deaths in 2023 jumped to 645 — a 50 percent increase from 2022. The hottest year recorded for Phoenix and environs? 2024.
Duke University scientists predict that US deaths associated with exposure to extreme heat – if climate change isn’t curbed – could rise from roughly 12,000 annually to almost 100,000 by the end of the century.
Cool Corridors: A tested strategy
For a deep dive into how one key strategy — Cool Corridors — can support your community’s efforts to “Beat the Heat,” see VCL’s Cool Corridors Action Guide.