A data brief from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute reveals that Latino neighborhoods in California are disproportionately burdened by climate-related health risks. Authored by Rosario Majano and colleagues, the report outlines how environmental injustice is fueling public health disparities in Latino communities.
Compared to non-Latino white neighborhoods, Latino areas experience 1.6 times more extreme heat days and are projected to continue facing elevated temperatures. These neighborhoods also endure 2.7 times more diesel particulate matter and 1.3 times more fine particulate pollution, increasing risks for asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer.
Emergency department visits for asthma are twice as high in Latino neighborhoods, and heart attack visits are 1.6 times higher. The report links these outcomes to environmental exposures and structural inequalities. Latino communities have fewer trees—just 4% land coverage compared to 18% in white neighborhoods—and more impervious surfaces, intensifying urban heat.
The report also highlights proximity to toxic sites. Latino neighborhoods are nearly 10 times closer to chemical facilities and face triple the exposure to hazardous waste sites. Traffic density is 1.4 times higher, compounding air pollution and health risks.
With 76% of Latino neighborhoods designated as Disadvantaged Communities, the authors call for targeted investments in clean energy, tree canopy expansion, and zero-emission transportation. “Climate risk in California is not distributed equally,” the report concludes, urging action to protect public health in marginalized communities.
See: “Climate Change and Health Disparities in California’s Latino Neighborhoods” (September 17, 2025)
