Sep. 27—WILKES-BARRE — Jill Avery-Stoss, president of The Institute, said the world experienced the hottest summer on record in 2024 — and temperatures are expected to continue rising.
Data projections suggest that the average temperatures in Pennsylvania during July and August will have risen three degrees by 2039.
According to Avery-Stoss, urban areas are especially vulnerable to rising temperatures. She said their temperatures can reach 15 to 20 degrees hotter than those in neighboring rural areas — mostly due to human activity and the heat-absorbing properties of urban surfaces.
“This concept is known as the Urban Heat Island,” Avery-Stoss said. “Given that 80% of the nation’s population lives in cities, the increase in heat has had a negative effect on public health. Urban heat islands lead to higher energy use for cooling, more air pollutants, reduced water quality and heightened risks to human health and comfort.”
Avery-Stoss said some populations face more risks than others. Those most at risk include people with low incomes, members of minority communities, children and pregnant mothers, older adults, people with mental or physical disabilities and people who work outdoors or in uncooled warehouses.
“These communities may have limited access to air conditioning, poorly insulated homes and fewer resources to prepare and recover from heat events,” Avery-Stoss said. “Heat-related deaths in the U.S. have risen 58.3% from 2018 to 2021, disproportionally affecting people of color.”
Pennsylvania’s 2024 Priority Climate Action Plan and 2023 Hazard Mitigation Plan outline strategies to improve resilience against climate impacts and hazards across the Commonwealth. Avery-Stoss said the state’s climate action plan prioritizes greenhouse gas reduction and clean energy. She said the hazard mitigation plan focuses on hazard mitigation and resilience.
Additionally, the CDC provides a heat and health index that identifies a community’s level of risk to heat-related effects based on zip code.
Research points to a number of actions that may address public health concerns surrounding rising temperatures. Several of these solutions involve infrastructure.
“Infrastructure improvements should be considered as a means of preserving community health in the midst of extreme heat,” added Avery-Stoss. “These improvements may involve the use of green or cool roofs, for example. Availability of green, blue, and shaded places (such as parks, water bodies, and trees) may be increased. Innovative strategies like permeable pavements may be effective as well.”
Additionally, Avery-Stoss said policies and procedures should be developed to aid urban areas and disadvantaged communities with targeted interventions or programs. Stakeholders can assess the potential for microgrids to aid struggling transmission lines during peak hours. Idle-free zones can be implemented in more areas to reduce emissions and heat.
Avery-Stoss said access to public transportation should be increased, and cooling centers should be strategically located to ensure that they are accessible to those most affected by extreme heat. She said a Heat Hotline may even be launched as a tool for sharing up-to-date information and guidance about heat-related health issues, locations of cooling centers, and emergency services if needed.
“With solutions like these in place, communities will become more resilient and better equipped to withstand extreme heat events, while improving environmental well-being and public health outcomes,” Avery-Stoss said.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.