Turner on New Tool for Assessing Health Risks of Extreme Heat – UCLA Luskin

Report on the California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System and Its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

Kelly Turner, Associate Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI), provided insights on a new initiative aimed at addressing health risks associated with extreme heat. This initiative, known as the California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System (CalHeatScore), is designed to assess and communicate heat-related health risks at a community level.

Overview of CalHeatScore

CalHeatScore is a pilot program that categorizes extreme heat risk by ZIP code into four levels, ranging from mild to severe. The tool’s developers note that a “severe” ranking often correlates with higher temperatures experienced inland compared to coastal areas.

Personalized Heat Risk Assessment

• Kelly Turner emphasized the complexity of heat-related illness, noting the many mediating factors between an individual, environmental heat, and health outcomes.
• CalHeatScore aims to move beyond traditional temperature thresholds by providing personalized heat warnings that consider individual and community-specific factors.
• The tool is currently in the early stages of development but represents a significant step toward more effective heat risk communication.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • CalHeatScore directly supports health by identifying populations at higher risk of heat-related illnesses, enabling targeted interventions.
   • Personalized heat warnings contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality associated with extreme heat events.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The tool facilitates community-level risk assessment, promoting resilience in urban and rural areas facing climate change impacts.
   • By addressing heat vulnerability, CalHeatScore supports safer and more sustainable living environments.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • CalHeatScore exemplifies proactive adaptation strategies to climate change by improving preparedness for extreme heat events.
   • It encourages data-driven decision-making to mitigate adverse effects of rising temperatures.

Conclusion

The California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System represents an innovative approach to managing the health risks posed by extreme heat. By integrating personalized risk factors and community-specific data, the tool aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on health, sustainable communities, and climate action. Continued development and implementation of CalHeatScore will enhance resilience and well-being in the face of escalating climate challenges.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article focuses on health risks related to extreme heat, which directly impacts well-being and health outcomes.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The tool CalHeatScore ranks extreme heat risk by neighborhood, addressing urban environmental challenges and community safety.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article discusses extreme heat as a climate-related hazard and the development of tools to manage its impacts.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: “By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” The extreme heat risk relates to reducing heat-related illnesses.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.5: “By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters.” The CalHeatScore tool helps communities prepare for and reduce heat-related disasters.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” The development of personalized heat risk warnings supports adaptive capacity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator related to SDG 3.9:
   • Number of heat-related illnesses or hospital admissions in areas classified by CalHeatScore risk levels.
2. Indicator related to SDG 11.5:
   • Number of deaths and people affected by extreme heat events in neighborhoods as ranked by CalHeatScore.
   • Economic losses due to heat-related health impacts in those communities.
3. Indicator related to SDG 13.1:
   • Implementation and usage rate of personalized heat warning tools like CalHeatScore.
   • Reduction in heat-related health incidents due to improved warning systems.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: luskin.ucla.edu