Extreme heat worsens air pollution health risks
Rising temperatures due to climate change are exacerbating the health risks of air pollution, experts say.
According to June 24 New York Times article, extreme heat can trap polluted air in place, worsening air quality. Smoke from wildfires—which are becoming more common due to climate change—also lowers air quality. The environmental threats of extreme heat and air pollution pose a “double whammy” for health, said Mary Rice, Mark and Catherine Winkler Associate Professor of Environmental Respiratory Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, one of the experts quoted in the article.
Rice explained that heat negatively impacts the brain and can increase hospital admissions for cardiovascular and mental health issues. Meanwhile, air pollution raises the risk of stroke, as well as respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions. “Those together can further enhance cardiovascular and respiratory risk,” she said.
The article noted that the federal administration and Congress are working to remove air pollution regulations. Additionally, cuts to federally funded research have affected studies about protecting people against extreme heat and air pollution—including Rice’s studies on whether air conditioners or purifiers can improve health outcomes.
Read the New York Times article: Extreme Heat Is Exacerbating Air Pollution, a ‘Double Whammy’ for Health
