As extreme temperatures rise, so do household energy bills. An alarming 16% (20.9 million) of U.S. households are behind on their energy bills and at an increased risk of utility shut-offs. Because the impacts of extreme heat and energy insecurity are not distributed evenly, it is increasingly essential to consider equity and prioritize disadvantaged populations in its efforts to tackle these intertwined crises.
[A new blog post from Autumn Burton of the Federation of American Scientists lays out how the U.S. can take on climate change, extreme heat, and energy insecurity.](https://fas.org/publication/energy-justice-keeping-cool/)
**👀 Key takeaways**
Nationwide, major power outages have increased tenfold since 1980, largely because of damages from extreme weather and aging grid infrastructure.
* Disadvantaged neighborhoods in urban heat islands also face heightened risks as they more frequently lack the essential infrastructure needed to adapt to the changing climate
* Geographic isolation, limited resources, and older infrastructure are all factors that make power outages more frequent and long-lasting in rural areas.
Extreme heat and energy security cannot be addressed without considering equity, as the impacts are not distributed evenly, especially by race, income, and housing type.
* Black renters have faced disproportionate burdens of extreme heat and energy security, as wealth is deeply correlated with race and homeownership in the U.S. In 2021, the EPA reported that Black people are 40% more likely than non-Black people to live in areas with the highest projected increase in mortality rates due to extreme temperatures.
\*\*🏛️ Policy considerations \*\*
* Update Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to increase cooling assistance
* Update PURPA (Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978) to require utilities to have moratoriums on energy shut-offs during extreme heat seasons.
* Expand weatherization assistance programs to encompass heat resilience and cooling efficiency
* Increase research on federal protections for vulnerable housing types
* Prioritize access to affordable, resilience energy alternatives for the energy-insecure
* Accelerate energy-efficient infrastructure like cool roofs and networked geothermal
🔗 [Read the full blog post here, and ask us anything in the comments ](https://fas.org/publication/energy-justice-keeping-cool/)☝️🤓
Source: scientistsorg