More extremely hot days, more heat exposure and fewer cooling options for people of color in Connecticut, U.S.

Abstract

It is well-documented that people of color in the U.S. are disproportionately exposed to extreme urban heat. However, most studies have focused on large cities for one point in time, and less is known about how heat exposure changes over time in smaller cities. Here, we present a study of the changing nature of urban heat exposure and cooling strategies for ten cities in Connecticut in the U.S. Our results show that people of color experience more heat exposure and fewer adaptation strategies. They experienced higher overall temperatures, more extremely hot days, and larger increases in heat exposure. Also, they have lower air conditioning ownership rates and lower tree cover. Taken together, the results indicate that people of color are not only exposed to higher temperatures but also disproportionately exposed to increasing temperatures over time. With lower heat adaptation capacity, people of color are more vulnerable to increasing urban heat.