The American Red Cross declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis this week after donations dropped to their lowest levels in four years. It blamed falling donor turnout on extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread outbreaks of foodborne illnesses across the country.
The episode points to an underreported danger of climate change: the risks it poses to global blood supplies. Record-breaking heat waves have affected much of the U.S. this summer, while wildfire smoke has permeated parts of the West and drifted into the Northeast from Canada, triggering air quality alerts for millions of people.
“The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events presents an ongoing challenge for maintaining a stable blood supply,” said Nicole Maul, the American Red Cross’ director of media relations, in an email.
Heat, wildfires, storms, floods and other disasters can affect the ability of donors to reach blood drives or shut down collection events, she added. They can also make it harder for suppliers to transport blood to hospitals.
