The University of Washington (UW) warned that the heatwave that killed 126 people in 2021 would recur in the future and suggested a solution to reduce human damage caused by abnormally high temperatures.
The report, published by the UW’s Climate Impact Group (CIG), along with experts from state health departments, the Climate Institute and Gonzaga University, urged first to look at seniors and low-income groups who are often unprepared for heatwave forecasts.
In Maine, the budget is supporting a program where vulnerable residents check each other’s safety. The report pointed out that summer resort facilities should be run by community organizations rather than government offices to increase users. It was also recommended to encourage the installation of air conditioners by strengthening building regulations for low-income housing.
The UW report found that among residents in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, only one-third of households making less than $50,000 have air conditioning, and only 30% of rental apartments have one. Oregon enacted legislation to prevent tenants from installing simple air conditioners after the “heat dome” incident in 2021.
The report also proposed that the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) tighten regulations on outdoor work during heat waves. L&I has invoked a temporary regulation law on outdoor work for 2021-2022, but the UW report recommends making it permanent and extending it to the indoor work sector as well.
Among the other nine measures suggested by the UW report, planting more shade trees in low-income residential areas, reducing the burden of low-income households on electricity bills due to air conditioners running, and installing a government department specializing in heatwave preparations like Phoenix, Arizona. The UW report predicted that from 1971 to 2021, unusually high temperatures averaged only 3 days per year in western Washington but would reach 17 to 27 days per year by 2050 and increase to 30 days in eastern Washington.
On the other hand, the report predicts that the elderly population aged 65 and older, a vulnerable group, will increase by 21.7% by 2040 to reach a total of 2 million.