Urban Heat Islands: How Climate Inequality Is Baked into American Cities
The Heat Is Unequal
As the U.S. grapples with climate change, it’s not just the rising temperatures that threaten lives—it’s the unequal distribution of that heat. In cities across America, poor and minority neighborhoods are consistently hotter than wealthier, whiter areas.
This phenomenon is known as the urban heat island effect (UHI), and it has deadly consequences.
How It Works
In cities, materials like asphalt and concrete absorb and re-radiate heat. The denser and more developed the area, the hotter it gets—especially where there’s little vegetation. In heat-prone cities like Phoenix, New Orleans, and Atlanta, UHIs can make some neighborhoods up to 15°F hotter than others.
A Legacy of Redlining
This heat inequity isn’t random—it’s rooted in policy. In the 1930s and ’40s, redlining maps rated neighborhoods based on perceived mortgage risk. Predominantly Black or immigrant areas were labeled “hazardous” and denied loans and infrastructure.
Today, those same areas:
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Have fewer trees and parks
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Host more highways and industrial sites
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Contain older housing without insulation or AC
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Experience higher rates of heat stroke and asthma
Fixing It Means Justice
To cool American cities equitably, we must:
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Plant trees strategically—not just in parks, but in underserved blocks
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Invest in reflective pavement and cool roofs
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Improve housing codes for better insulation and ventilation
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Ensure cooling centers are accessible during heatwaves
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