In his famous poem, No Men Are Foreign, Poet James Kirkup describes the non-discriminatory aura of natural elements. In his iconic phrase, ‘They too, aware, of sun and water’ he indicates how the sun and water present themselves in equal intensity before all humankind— irrespective of caste, color or creed.
However, an article published by the World Economic Forum that describes how “People of color are exposed to twice as much heat in US cities” suggests otherwise.
Based on a 2021 Study, the article states how “exposure to heat stress can lead to dehydration, strokes or even premature death.” Implementing the Surface Urban Heat Islands (SUHI) ideology which states that “concrete infrastructure in cities holds more heat than nature-rich areas” as a framework of analysis, the article goes on to describe how “heat stress levels are also dependent on nature and greenery, which is why they might vary from one neighborhood to another.”
As per the article, the study took 175 of the largest urban areas in continental United States into consideration. Thereafter, it used satellite temperature data and US Census Information to assess the impact of SUHI levels in these areas.
The results of this study indicate a deep-set societal discrepancy.
To begin with, the article reveals how “in all, but six urban areas”, people of color lived in areas with fewer trees. Since heat levels are inversely related to the presence of greenery, this led to them being exposed to higher heat levels as opposed to their “white counterparts.”
Further on, the article states that “people of color experienced average SUHI levels of 3.12 degree celsius” which is higher than the 2.70 degree celsius observed in hispanic communities and more than twice of 1.47 degree celsius— the temperature is observed in non-hispanic areas.
Delving into the list of reasons behind this discrimination, the article depicts how redlining occupies a significant position. As per the article, “redlining is defined as the practice of denying home loans or insurance based on an area’s racial composition.”
Even though this practice was banned by the US Fair Housing Act in 1968, the article describes how “its impact is still felt in many US cities.” Depicting the ill-effects of redlining, a pictorial representation in the Nature Communications journal showcases how “in Greenville, South Carolina, where redlining was practiced, the population of people of color was concentrated in areas of higher heat stress.”
The article also describes how injustice persists in cities like Baltimore where the non-white population is distributed evenly throughout the city. Supporting this claim, additional pictorial representations published in Nature Communications depict how “the poorest neighborhoods are also the most heat stressed”
Before contemplating possible solutions, the article begins by acknowledging how “climate change is increasing global temperatures, and without urgent action, the hottest parts of the city will inevitably get warmer.” This will worsen the situation, and while the article agrees that there is no “one-size-fits-all solution” it is important to consider the generic— yet effective— solutions that have been proposed.
According to the article, the solutions are widely-spread, and range from something as simple as “planting more trees and vegetation to reduce the intensity of heat-affected areas” to something relatively complex like “constructing neighborhood shade coverings.” As per a statement reported by Scientific American, “returning to the traditional adobe buildings designed to combat heat” could prove to be equally effective.
Conclusively, the article persuades “people living in heat-stressed neighborhoods to get involved in finding ways to cool things down.” Putting forth a strong voice of protest against relying on town planners and policy makers, it encourages affected humankind to take action against the boundaries of injustice that make them “foreign” to each other and urges them to break them down through mutual understanding and collaborative action.
