"Blacks, Asians and Latinos are more likely to live in “urban heat islands” that are most at risk during extreme heat waves that are expected to worsen due to climate change, according to a new study."
"Researchers at UC Berkeley used satellite imagery to find neighborhoods in hundreds of U.S. cities where there are few shade trees and a lot of heat-absorbing, impervious surfaces like pavement, cement or roofing.
The authors paired that information with data from the 2000 Census to find that blacks were 52% more likely than whites to live in 'urban heat islands' -- microclimates that can get an extra 5 to 10 degrees warmer during heat waves -- while Asians were 32% more likely and Latinos were 21% more likely.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, also found that people who live in more segregated cities, including whites, are more likely to live in heat-absorbing neighborhoods."
Tony Barboza reports for the Los Angeles Times July 9, 2013.
SEE ALSO:
"The Racial/Ethnic Distribution of Heat Risk–Related Land Cover in Relation to Residential Segregation" (Environmental Health Perspectives)
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