Combinations of very dry and hot weather are increasing in communities that can least afford it at double the rates of higher-income communities, according to a paper in the journal Communications & Earth Environment.
What's happening?
New research points to an alarming pattern: Neighborhoods where money is tighter experienced twice the increase in dangerous combinations of heat and drought compared to wealthier areas over the last 40 years.
Between 1981 and 2020, poorer regions saw a 377% jump in overlapping dry and hot spells, while higher-income areas recorded only a 184% rise. The stark difference shows up most clearly in parts of Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, home to nearly 4 billion people collectively.
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"Recent CDHWs (combinations of very dry and hot weather) in countries as diverse as Kenya, Tunisia, Vietnam, the United States, and Russia illustrate that the threat is a global reality. Rare and major CDHWs can cause food crises and revert years of progress in poverty reduction and development," the researchers noted in their findings.
Why are disproportionate climate impacts concerning?
When intense heat arrives during a drought, it creates a dangerous mix that can damage crops, hurt worker productivity, and push vulnerable families deeper into financial trouble. The study found that human activities causing Earth's overheating have doubled these weather combinations in 31% of lower-income regions, compared to just 4.7% of higher-income areas.
This matters because wealthier nations have produced most of the pollution warming our planet, yet poorer communities bear more of the consequences. The research suggests that these harsh weather patterns would not have increased in lower-income regions at all without human influence.
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What's being done about disproportionate heat impacts?
Communities worldwide are working to prepare for and prevent these challenges. Local governments are expanding early warning systems for extreme weather, while international organizations provide funding to help vulnerable regions adapt.
You can help by supporting groups working to protect at-risk communities from extreme weather. Consider switching to energy-saving appliances and clean energy at home, which save money while reducing the pollution that amplifies dangerous weather patterns.
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