California heat waves lead to deaths, financial losses

Recent heat waves in California have resulted in hundreds of deaths and billions in economic losses over the past decade, a new report by the state insurance department reveals.

Levi Sumagaysay reports for CalMatters.

In short:

Seven heat events from 2013 to 2022 killed nearly 460 people and caused $7.7 billion in economic damage.
Effects include lost wages, productivity declines, agricultural disruptions, and infrastructure damage.
Low-income communities and minority groups face the highest heat-related death rates.

Key quote:

“It’s really important to understand that heat is a silent killer.”

— Michael Mendez, assistant professor of environmental planning and policy at UC Irvine

Why this matters:

Rising temperatures are more than just a summer inconvenience. They’re a serious threat to public health and the economy. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, face the greatest risks. Hospitals and emergency services are stretched thin during extreme heat events, dealing with a surge in heat-related illnesses.

calmatters.org

California heat waves lead to deaths, financial losses

Top scientists find growing evidence that greenhouse gases are, in fact, a danger

Climate change ‘beyond scientific dispute,’ National Academies report says

Climate activist Bill McKibben to Houston: It’s solar’s time to shine

Corals won’t survive a warmer planet, a new study finds

Watch the sea claim yet another house in N.C.’s Outer Banks

Ghanaian women try to sustain oyster farming threatened by climate change

Dominion’s proposed peaker plant flouts environmental justice, community says

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.