As extreme heat grips the globe, access to air conditioning is an urgent public health issue
Published:
Blog published by The Brookings Institution.
Cities across the globe are gasping in extreme summer heat. Last week, the United Kingdom—known for its cool, rainy climate—broke its all-time-high temperature record, topping out at 104.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, U.S. cities are scrambling to protect their residents and physical infrastructure from the dangers of extreme heat, which can cause school closures, transit system malfunctions, strained electrical grids, and more. Extreme heat kills over 600 people in the U.S. each year; older adults, very young children, and people with chronic diseases are the most vulnerable.