New York City summers are notoriously hot, with an average of 17 days each year surging above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, climate change is intensifying this heat, leading to hotter, longer, and more frequent heat waves in the city.
According to projections from the New York City Panel on Climate Change, in the next 25 years, the city could witness between 38 and 62 days exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit annually.
In a worst-case scenario, this number could skyrocket to 108 days by 2080.
The built environment of the city exacerbates this issue due to the urban heat island effect, which can elevate urban temperatures by 3 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit compared to suburban and rural areas.
This effect is significantly heightened in densely constructed zones characterized by limited green spaces and extensive heat-absorbing surfaces.
Compounding the problem, heat exposure is not experienced equally across the city’s demographic groups.
Low-income communities of color face the brunt of heat burdens, rooted in historical disinvestment and persistent environmental injustices.
Summer heat poses a direct threat to public health, being the leading cause of climate- and weather-related deaths across the United States.
Unlike other natural disasters such as floods, the dangers posed by extreme heat are invisible, making it a often overlooked ‘silent killer.’
On average, around 580 New Yorkers lose their lives each summer due to heat-related causes, with Black New Yorkers suffering heat mortality at double the rate of their white counterparts.
To address the heat issue effectively, both short-term emergency measures and long-term strategies are required.
While immediate heat response is crucial during heat waves, cooling the city needs sustained efforts and initiatives focused on heat mitigation and prevention.
Progress is being made elsewhere; in 2021, Miami-Dade County appointed the world’s first chief heat officer (CHO), while Phoenix launched an office of Heat Response and Mitigation.
Athens, Greece, followed suit soon after, marking the first CHO in Europe.
As cities worldwide recognize the need for dedicated leadership in heat management, New York City must not fall behind.
In 2017, the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) unveiled the Cool Neighborhoods NYC plan—a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing citywide heat responses.
This initiative lays out a roadmap that requires the guidance of a heat czar.
The mandate of the plan involves coordinating critical heat mitigation programs across various city agencies, ensuring equitable resource distribution, and integrating heat response strategies into the broader climate initiatives.
However, the existing efforts extend beyond the Cool Neighborhoods NYC plan.
Research indicates that there are over 30 specific heat-related programs distributed across 10 departments and agencies under four deputy mayors within city government.
Both the ongoing work and the outlined plan hold substantial importance and warrant a level of coordination, commitment, and advocacy that only a chief heat officer could provide.
Since the launch of Cool Neighborhoods NYC, eight years have passed; it is high time to revitalize this initiative with a dedicated CHO who can align efforts across government, community organizations, and private sectors.
An appointed CHO would serve in an advisory and advocacy capacity, maintaining a consistent focus on heat issues and resilience.
With the necessary regulatory and budgetary authority, a CHO could not only accelerate current programs but also broaden their impact throughout the city.
By facilitating coordination across the city’s extensive array of plans, a CHO would cut through bureaucratic silos, clarify roles and responsibilities, eliminate contradictory policies, and streamline funding processes.
Furthermore, a CHO would champion new urban heat mitigation solutions that embrace nature and design, steering away from fossil fuels that exacerbate the climate crisis.
Advocating to preserve urban spaces for community use is another essential role for a CHO, ensuring that residents have access to outdoor areas that can help mitigate heat.
Although the city recently appointed its first Chief Climate Officer, Rohit T. Aggarwala, his Department of Environment Protection (DEP) has prioritized stormwater management and coastal resilience efforts.
While Aggarwala acknowledges that “heat and hurricanes” are considerable concerns, the DEP has not yet designated a deputy commissioner explicitly tasked with addressing heat issues.
Additionally, the City Council recently saw a bill aimed at strengthening New York’s cooling center program fail to pass.
As summer approaches, the absence of a CHO leaves New Yorkers without a primary advocate for effective and cohesive heat management.
Recognizing that heat is an intricate problem—spanning infrastructure, economy, policy, community impacts, and health—demanding a well-coordinated approach is imperative.
With extreme heat projected to increasingly endanger public health as well as influence energy demand, water resources, urban flora, transportation, economic productivity, tourism, and workplace safety standards, timely action is key.
Despite having robust plans and programs available, as well as reliable data on heat distribution and risks, failure to appoint a chief heat officer could hinder New York’s ability to meet the challenges presented by hotter summers.
image source from：citylimits
