EarthLab News
Seattle Times Front Page Feature: UW report offers solutions to help prevent deaths during WA heat waves
Two years after the 2021 heat dome, Washington’s deadliest weather-related disaster, researchers are still trying to pin down its full impacts and what lessons can be learned. Officials estimate 126 people died from the heat between June 26 and July 2, 2021, when Washington set 128 all-time high temperature records, including in Seattle where people sweltered in up to 108 degrees. But a new report from the University of Washington says the heat dome was likely far deadlier, with 441 more people dying during that week than would have been expected based on previous years, after accounting for COVID-19.
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Opinion: How we can better protect all residents during WA’s next heat wave
Drs. Jason Vogel and Jeremy Hess write about the recent report, “In the Hot Seat: Saving Lives from Extreme Heat in Washington State,” for the Seattle Times. “We clearly need to prepare for extreme heat going forward. If we do not take the lessons of 2021 to heart, the consequences will be predictable and devastating. We have been warned.”
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New report, tool suggest how Washington can better protect against extreme heat
In June 2021, the “heat dome” that struck the Pacific Northwest sent temperatures in Seattle to an unprecedented 107 degrees Fahrenheit and set 128 all-time high temperature records across the state. The event was partly due to climate change. As the climate continues to warm, these hotter stretches are projected to hit the region with increasing frequency. Two years after that event — the deadliest weather-related disaster in state history — a collaborative effort led by two University of Washington teams, the Climate Impacts Group and the Center for Health and the Global Environment, or CHanGE, has drawn up recommendations for how people and groups across the state could prevent future heat-related illness and save lives.
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Introducing the CHaRT Tool: Navigating Climate-Related Health Risks
As climate changes continue to affect our lives, it is crucial for decision makers and community members to have the information they need to better understand and then address climate-related hazards. Certain communities bear a disproportionate burden from these hazards, which makes it essential to thoroughly understand the different mechanisms, scales, and geographic distributions of climate impacts on community health.
To address this, the Center for Health and the Global Environment has officially launched the Climate Health and Risk Tool (CHaRT), a groundbreaking interactive platform that helps users explore the intricate relationship between climatic, environmental, social, and economic factors contributing to hazards faced by communities.
Climate Impacts Group & partners release report in English and Spanish aimed at preventing heat-related illness and death in Washington
A new report from experts at the University of Washington, Washington State Department of Health and Gonzaga University describes the problem of extreme heat and outlines specific, actionable guidance for short-term emergency response and long-term risk reduction. In the hot seat: Saving lives from extreme heat in Washington state highlights roles for state and local governments, elected officials, community- and faith-based organizations and others in addressing this important issue.
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Join us June 22 for "Beating the Heat: Collective Action for a Safer Northwest"
Join EarthLab, The Climate Impacts Group and the Center for Health and the Global Environment on June 22 for a panel discussion, report launch & climate resiliency tool demo to help save lives during extreme heat.
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Population Health Initiative announces the award of 12 climate change planning grants inspired by EarthLab collaboration
This week, the Population Health Initiative (PHI) announced the award of a dozen $10,000 planning grants to University of Washington researchers to support the launch of new climate-focused collaborations. Several of the funded projects arose from an event co-hosted by EarthLab and PHI called “Fostering Climate Change Connections.” This April 2023 event was intended to help facilitate the development of new interdisciplinary collaborations between UW researchers. PHI and EarthLab will co-host another collaboration funding event in October 2023.
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Introducing Backyard Buoys: Bringing Spotters to Indigenous Communities on the Front Lines of Climate Change
EarthLab is proud to share "Backyard Buoys," a project managed by Washington Ocean Acidification Center co-director Jan Newton. Through EarthLab's centralized service model, Newton was able to put through a major project proposal for the NFS Convergence Accelerator program, where she and her team received $5 million to collaborate with Sofar Ocean Technologies and coastal Indigenous partners on a community-led ocean observing project. Backyard Buoys uses simple and affordable instruments, called "Spotters," to put access to and stewardship of ocean data in the hands of those most affected by climate change on the coast.
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Pop Health Initiative, EarthLab event fosters climate change connections across UW disciplines
The Population Health Initiative and EarthLab co-hosted an Open Space-style event in the University of Washington wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House on April 11, 2023, to help facilitate the development of new interdisciplinary collaborations that will take on pressing climate-related challenges.
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