Integrating Heat Health into Local Government Adaptation Tools: The ICLEI Climate Resilient Communities Program

Heat-related mortality and morbidity are likely to be among the most widespread effects of climate change in the coming decades as extreme heat events are projected to increase in intensity and duration. Increased awareness of this threat and advance planning to reduce heat-related risk have great potential to reduce the number of illnesses and deaths that might otherwise occur. Heat waves are fairly localized phenomena, and local health departments and partner organizations within and outside of local governments are best positioned to effectively raise awareness and implement solutions.

ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA is a membership organization of over 575 cities and counties in the U.S. who have joined the organization for assistance with climate action planning and implementation. ICLEI's Climate Resilient Communities Program is working with a broad range of local governments to reduce climate-related risks to lives, health, property and ecosystems. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University, ICLEI is working to increase awareness and advance planning by integrating heat health into its adaptation planning tools and developing outreach materials and training programs. This session will describe those efforts.

Funding for this project is provided by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant R-832752010 from the National Center for Environmental Research and grant R18 EH000348-01 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This article has not been subjected to government peer and policy review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the government and no official endorsement should be inferred.