Researchers from several countries collaborated on a new study of night-time heat, and how increasing temperatures from a changing climate could affect health.
In the scientific article, the researchers note that hotter nights can disrupt sleep patterns, which leads to immune system damage, heart disease, mental health problems, and other chronic disease. It is well known that excess heat is a major but silent killer for people with heart or lung problems and people taking certain medicines because of the stress it puts on the body and especially the heart.
The research team studied deaths from excess heat in 28 cities from 1980 to 2015, and then used climate models to estimate how many extra deaths would happen by the end of the century. They estimated that by 2100, the risk of death from nights that are too hot would increase 6-fold in these 28 cities. The researchers caution that there since they only measured 28 cities in 3 countries, we should be careful about extrapolating to other countries. However it gives us an idea of what could happen.
In a different study from researchers at the University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, and other universities, the effects of air conditioning use, tree canopy, and building materials (masonry, etc.) were studied in relation to indoor and outdoor temperature in 3 cities: Detroit, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Because the 3 cities are in such different climates, the effects of building material, air conditioning, and tree canopy were all different. In Atlanta, only 57% of the people had and used air conditioning. The other 43% either didn’t have or didn’t use air conditioning. The researchers found varying effects of trees and building materials depending on the city and climate, but the most important factor for indoor temperature was air conditioning.
Remember that Atlanta is one of the cities with a high current temperature difference between areas that were previously redlined by banks and the federal government. Columbus Georgia is another city in Georgia with a very big temperature difference between areas that were previously redlined.
Planning for climate resiliency will need to take into account all of these things: health effects of higher temperatures, effects of trees and building materials, effects of current and historical environmental racism, effects of energy burden, income, and people’s ability to afford air conditioning. Both structural and environmental racism contributes to these, and city, state, and federal planners need to work on all these factors. Using the IIJA and IRA funds following the Justice40 principles will really help improve health and health disparities.
Read news about the night temperature study here.
Read the scientific study of night temperatures here.
09/01/2022
