50 Pics From The Terrible Heatwaves That Happened This Summer

For certain parts of society, the impact will be even more challenging. "Marginalized communities, such as people of color and those living in poverty, tend to be disproportionately affected by heat waves due to poor quality of housing."

Kleczka continued: "In buildings that lack insulation, temperatures can be even higher than outdoors, leading to heat stress and premature death. This poses considerable risk to the elderly, chronically ill and disabled, who are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures as they can exacerbate pre-existing conditions."

Heat waves not only impact our physical health and well-being, but they worsen our mental health, too. "[They] have been linked to a rise in depressive episodes, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Researchers say that for every 1°C increase in monthly temperatures, mental health-related deaths increase by 2.2%."

Moreover, some medications prescribed to people who suffer these conditions "also increase the risk of heat-related death, while others become less effective in rising temperatures."

When these alarming weather phenomena seem on a path to increasingly impact our daily lives, it’s easy to feel like we’re running out of time to act. Thankfully, Kleczka offered some reassuring words on how everyone can strive to mitigate heat waves.

"It's important to remember that all is not lost if we keep pushing for political action," she said. "What we need to see now is a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, major investments in renewables, energy efficiency and home insulation, as well as climate finance and loss and damage to communities on the frontline, who have been made vulnerable by centuries of colonialism and continued exploitation."

"If we don't do these things, heat waves will grow in frequency and severity, but there is definitely still hope." If you want to take action, Kleczka mentioned a note-worthy campaign called the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Ever since 2019, this global initiative has aimed to phase-out fossil fuels and build a globally just transition for every worker, community, and country.

"The climate movement is strong and growing. The best thing people can do to tackle the climate crisis is to get involved in their local climate group (or remotely) and help build a political mandate for a just transition and sustainable future for all," Kleczka concluded.