A new study from the Yale School of Public Health reveals that Black, Latino, and some Asian populations in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states experience hotter summers than their non-Hispanic white counterparts living in the same counties. This temperature disparity, linked to residential segregation, has significant implications for health and energy equity.
The research, led by Daniel Carrión, assistant professor of epidemiology, found that minoritized groups are consistently exposed to higher warm-season temperatures than county averages would suggest. This exposure gap is concerning because these populations are already more vulnerable to heat-related health issues due to higher rates of cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases.
“Given that air conditioning is the dominant individual-level adaptive strategy to heat in the U.S., minoritized populations may have reduced adaptive capacity to climate change,” the researchers noted, highlighting how extreme temperature exposures represent a form of underestimated structural racism in climate impacts.
The study, which analyzed data from 13 states and Washington, D.C., also points out that current energy assistance programs may be inadequate. Programs like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) distribute funding based on cold-season energy demand, potentially underestimating the cooling needs of minority communities during hotter summers.
These findings have broad implications for climate, health, and energy policies. The researchers hope their work will support targeted interventions, including more equitable distribution of energy insecurity relief. As climate change continues to drive up temperatures, addressing these racial disparities in heat exposure becomes increasingly crucial for public health and environmental justice.
See “For some Black, Latino, and Asian people, summers are hotter” (August 7, 2024)