Latino communities across California are disproportionately affected by extreme heat and air pollution, research has shown. But the data sources proving these impacts can be hard for members of the public to access and understand.
A digital tool, launched Tuesday by the Latino Policy and Politics Institute at UCLA, sheds new light on the issue.
The institute’s Latino Climate and Health Dashboard draws information from more than 10 public databases, and its underlying message is stark: Latino neighborhoods face significantly higher exposure to extreme heat and air pollution than their non-Latino White counterparts. And they suffer worse health outcomes as a result.
The launch is timely for several reasons, according to LPPI staff members and advisers who developed the tool. For one thing, extreme heat is worsening in California because of climate change. That means threats to human health are rising in vulnerable communities.
