Extreme heat is a health crisis, Columbia experts say

By ISABELLA O’MALLEY
Associated Press

The record-breaking heat Earth endured during the summer of 2022 will be repeated without a robust international effort to address climate change, scientists are warning. A panel of experts at Columbia University on Monday said heat-related deaths, wildfires, extreme rainfall and persistent drought are expected to become increasingly severe as both ocean and atmospheric temperatures continue to rise. With a focus on human health impacts from extreme heat, the experts discussed how the summer of 2022 was one of the hottest in recorded history. They said solutions include community-based adaptation strategies, improved medical protocols for extreme heat events, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.