Why the Poorest Neighbourhoods Are Dangerously Hot: A Climate Justice Crisis.
(published September 2, 2025 by Rosalind Thacker) (Context).
A Tale of Two Neighbourhoods
This summer marked London's hottest on record—but not all residents were affected equally. Despite a single city-wide heatwave, affluent areas stayed several degrees cooler than under-resourced neighbourhoods. And it’s not just London: similar patterns repeat across cities globally (Context).
Heat, Inequality, and the Built Environment
Urban Heat Islands Amplify Disparities
Cities often experience higher temperatures due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect—built surfaces like asphalt and concrete store and radiate heat, especially when green cover is lacking (Wikipedia, UM School for Environment and Sustainability).
In historically marginalized or redlined neighbourhoods—often predominantly low-income and communities of colour—this effect is even more pronounced. For example, formerly redlined neighbourhoods in the U.S. are on average 2.6 °C (4.7 °F) hotter than non-redlined areas (Wikipedia). In some cities like Phoenix, disparities reach 5.6–8.3 °C (10–15 °F) (Wikipedia).
Globally, urban green space inequality further compounds the issue. In thousands of cities across the Global South, cooling power from vegetation is only about half that of cities in the Global North—and so is the outdoor thermal resilience per resident (arXiv).
Infrastructure, Housing, and Occupational Exposure
Low-income areas often lack resilient housing—homes may be poorly insulated or lack shade, ventilation, or access to affordable air conditioning. This reality was starkly highlighted in studies from Europe, such as Madrid, where poorer districts suffered elevated mortality during heatwaves, with one child in three unable to stay cool at home (The Guardian).
Workers in vulnerable communities often perform physically demanding outdoor jobs in high heat—yet have limited access to cooling breaks, hydration, or protections. In the U.S., heat is the deadliest natural hazard—claiming more lives than any other—and its dangers are magnified in poor, redlined, or communities of colour (Justice Network, TIME, Climate Central).
Social Vulnerability: Isolation and Health Risks
Extreme heat poses a grave threat to older adults and isolated individuals, who may be physically unable to stay cool or lack social support. Historic heatwaves—such as the 1995 Chicago event, which killed over 700 people—demonstrated how social isolation exacerbates vulnerability (Wikipedia, The Guardian). Programs like NYC’s “Be a Buddy”, Philadelphia’s “block captains”, and Baltimore’s resiliency hubs aim to provide localized aid during heat emergencies (The Guardian).
Solutions: Cooling, Justice, and Resilience
Greening Cities for Climate Justice
Urban green infrastructure—reforestation, parks, green roofs, cool pavements, and lighter surfaces—significantly reduces heat by providing shade and promoting cooling through evapotranspiration (Wikipedia).
In Madrid, residents of poor neighbourhoods have called for more tree planting to lower temperatures: on treeless streets, temps hit 41.4 °C, compared to 38.6 °C on shaded avenues (Reuters).
Institutional Innovations: Chief Heat Officers & Resilience Centers
Miami’s first-ever Chief Heat Officer, Jane Gilbert, was appointed to tackle unequal heat exposure in Black and Latino neighbourhoods. Her mandate includes planting trees, improving energy-efficient housing, and setting up resilient cooling centers during heatwaves (TIME).
Policy, Justice, and Community Action
Climate justice advocates emphasize centring race, class, and vulnerability in heat mitigation strategies. That means prioritizing funding and infrastructure in places most impacted—not treating heat as a uniform risk (Yale Climate Connections, The Guardian, Wikipedia).
Why It Matters—and What Readers Can Do
Extreme heat kills—especially in poor, marginalized communities.
Built environment choices reflect social injustice, amplifying warming.
Mitigation is achievable through green infrastructure, policy, and community engagement.
Cooling and adaptation are matters of justice—not just comfort.
Take Action
Support urban greening campaigns and policies that prioritize vulnerable neighborhoods.
Engage or volunteer with local heat-resilience programs like “buddy systems” or cooling centers.
Encourage elected officials to hire equitable roles like Chief Heat Officers.
Advocate for heat to be treated as a civil rights issue—not just an environmental one.
With rising global temperatures and more frequent heatwaves projected, escalating action on heat inequality is urgent. The stewards of climate justice must ensure cooling isn’t a privilege—but a right everyone can share.