Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat Policy Innovation Summit

About the Convening 

While Americans have cooled down from the hottest summer on human record, the 2024 heat season is not that far around the corner. A lack of action is killing thousands of people a year and costing Americans +$120 billion a year. These costs will only keep rising with future anticipated exposure to dangerous heat (>125 °F) expected to impact 107.6 million Americans by the year 2053. Transformative action is needed to prepare the United States for a warmer world.

To meet this critical moment, FAS and ASU KER are hosting the Extreme Heat Policy Innovation Summit to showcase actions that can be taken at all levels of government to address extreme heat. Presentations will feature Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency and ASU KER’s report informing Arizona’s Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan, FAS’ Extreme Heat Policy Sprint coalition’s federal policy ideas, and other innovative policy efforts to build heat resilience. 

Agenda

Opening Remarks

(11-11:20am)

This session will open the event and feature key policy leaders working on climate resilience solutions.

Interagency Working Group on Heat Implementing Agencies Panel

(11:20am-12pm) 

This session will feature key agency leaders driving forward actions on extreme heat planning, response, and resilience and implementing key activities like the interagency working group on extreme heat.

Policy Innovation in the Federal Government

(12:30-12:50pm)

This session will spotlight the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, an innovative effort within the federal government to coordinate, streamline, and strategize approaches to tackling the extreme heat crisis.

Extreme Heat Data Flash Talk

(12:50-1pm)

Data is critical to how we understand extreme heat and its impact on vulnerable Americans. Better visualizations are critical to understanding and addressing risk. This session will feature a new tool developed by the Census, the Community Resilience Estimate for Heat.

From the Frontlines of Extreme Heat: State and Local Actions in Arizona

(1-2:30 pm)

This session will share the experiences of the state, county, local, tribal, and community stakeholders regarding extreme heat preparedness, response, mitigation and adaptation. Stakeholders will also provide insights and recommendations for the federal policy and legislative landscape.

Introduction

Dr. Patricia Solís, Executive Director, ASU Knowledge Exchange for Resilience. Brief video remarks from Kyrsten Sinema, U.S. Senator from Arizona

Key Session

Maren Mahoney, Director, Office of Resiliency, Office of the Governor Katie Hobbs

Panel I of local and state public sector institutions

Panel II of multi-scale stakeholders and community actors

Federal Policy Opportunities from FAS Extreme Heat Policy Sprint

(3-4pm)

Presenters will discuss opportunities from the 20 policy memos from FAS’ Extreme Heat Policy Sprint for how the federal government can improve its response to extreme heat.

Policy Innovation Showcases

(4-4:40pm)

This session will uplift leaders who are generating policy recommendations for federal, state, county, and local actors to implement to improve the response to extreme heat.

Closeout and Call to Action

(4:40-5pm)

This session will set the stage for what’s next in the federal government’s realization and implementation of the National Climate Resilience Framework and other key plans such as Justice40 and the National Heat Strategic Plan.