Extreme Heat: Reporting on Climate Change’s Deadly Threat

This year saw a scorcher of a summer, the hottest on record. Worse, it could be the coldest summer we’ll see in our lifetimes, as accelerating climate change makes extreme events like the June heat dome that broiled the Pacific Northwest a regular occurrence. But the threats posed by climate change are not shared equally. The poor, the elderly and communities of colour are at especially high risk.

As the annual death toll mounts, states such as California have failed to accurately track heat-related death and injuries, and state and federal regulations have failed to ensure workers in industries vulnerable to heat remain safe. That may be slowly changing. In September, President Biden announced a new federal effort to address extreme heat, while world leaders are set to gather in Glasgow to hash out new emissions targets. In this webinar, we’ll glean lessons and insights from a yearlong Los Angeles Times investigation into extreme heat, reporting that offers a powerful example of how robust journalism can shine a line on this growing public health emergency. We’ll identify gaps in state and federal tracking efforts, and outline policy changes that could help.

Attendees will gain strategies, storylines, and fresh ideas for covering one of the deadliest impacts of climate change. Watch the video of the event here.