Cities and Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Climate change is disrupting the fundamental conditions of human life and exacerbating existing inequity by placing further burdens on already vulnerable communities. Exposure to risk and its consequences varies by where people live and work. In this project, we examine the overlapping spatial nature and multiplicity of compound risks associated with COVID-19 and extreme heat in New York City. We assess the relationship between a range of natural environmental, built and social environmental, and socio-demographic characteristics, as well as the spatial correspondence of COVID-19 daily case rates across three waves of the pandemic.
We use these data to create a compound risk index that combines heat, COVID, density, and social vulnerability. Our findings demonstrate that the compound risks of COVID-19 and heat stress are both public health and equity challenges. Heat and COVID-19 exposure are influenced by natural and built environmental factors, as well as social ramifications, including how physical infrastructure is used and the availability and accessibility of mitigation infrastructure. Socio-demographic characteristics are significant indicators of both heat and COVID-19 exposure and where compound vulnerability exists. Using GIS mapping, we illustrate how the geographies of COVID-19 risk change across the three waves of the pandemic and the particular impact of vaccinations before the onset of the third wave. We then use our compound risk index to assess heat interventions undertaken by the City and provide recommendations where existing policies provide adequate coverage and areas of shortfall where additional interventions are needed.
Publications:
Knox-Hayes, J., Osario, J.C, Stamler, N., Dombrov, M., Winer, R., Smith, M.H. Rosenzweig, C. and Reggie Blake. (2023) “The Compound Risk of Heat and COVID-19 in New York City: Riskscapes, Physical and Social Factors, and Interventions.” Local Environment. (link)
Knox-Hayes, J. (2022) “Combating climate change: Dismantling the spatial and temporal assumptions of the core and periphery.” Geographical Research. April 2022. (link)
Davies, A.R., Hooks, G. Knox-Hayes, J. and R. Liévanos. (2020) “Riskscapes and the Socio- Spatial Challenges of Climate Change.” Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society. (link)