Asphalt contributes to the urban heat island effect and makes places more prone to flooding. Planners are rethinking its place in cities. This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News.
“People are bringing it up, people are talking about it and thinking about what can be done, but I don’t know that that has translated very well into action yet,” said Victoria Sanders, research analyst at the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. “We really want to see actions starting to play out.”
Extreme heat from climate change has the potential to exacerbate racial disparities in the five boroughs’ maternal health outcomes. Still, climate change and maternal health often remain two separate policy conversations, both locally and nationally.
Citing the impact of climate change, Harlem State Sen. Cordell Cleare is pursuing legislation would make more New Yorkers eligible for the state-run Cooling Assistance Benefit, eliminating a requirement that applicants prove they have a medical condition. “An air conditioner is not a luxury anymore,” she said.
Amid scorching heat, cities around the world are rethinking access to waterways. This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News.
Gathering data from satellites and sensors placed on trees, the network measured temperatures across different types of urban green spaces in 12 U.S. cities, including New York. It found that the air temperature was cooler in forests compared to landscaped trees at over 90 percent of locations.
“It’s an issue that seems to be within DOC’s control, something they can anticipate, and yet they’re really not able to make sure that the conditions are humane for the people that are forced to be there,” one civil rights attorney said.
“New York City is preparing for its first official heatwave of this summer. And while many of us are able to stay inside, limit outside activities, and safely work from home, many of our city’s most vulnerable residents are not as fortunate.”
“Extreme heat is not an isolated issue. It is intertwined with other injustices like urban development and racist infrastructure,” said Rami Dinnawi, a representative from the community human rights organization El Puente de Williamsburg. “We need to support community-led initiatives on mitigating the effect of extreme heat.”
“The climate crisis requires more than empty words and the too-little-too-late warnings we’re getting in New York. Without action to curb our reliance on the fossil fuels supercharging this crisis, this hot, toxic summer is only going to get hotter, more expensive, and more dangerous.”
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