Climate Change and Cities: Preparing for Rising Temperatures
Ask Students: Where in the U.S. are heat waves most extreme? What did the city of Phoenix create in order to address the problem?
How Can Cities Better Prepare for Rising Temperatures?
As global temperatures continue to rise, so do heat-related deaths. Some U.S. cities are feeling the effects of high-temperature emergencies right now, including in Phoenix, Arizona. The city created the first publicly funded office to focus on the problem caused by higher temperatures. For a transcript, click here.
Discussion Questions: Cities and Climate Change
- Where in the U.S. are heat waves most extreme?
- What did the city of Phoenix create in order to address the problem?
- How has Phoenix adapted its infrastructure for extreme heat?
- Which community in Phoenix is most vulnerable to extreme heat?
- What is a “heat island”?
Focus Questions
Think about the ways that you stay cool when your area experiences a hot day. What things about your house, neighborhood, or local community allow you to stay cool? Do you think everybody in your city/town/state/country has access to these things?
Media Literacy: This segment featured an interview with David Hondula, director of Phoenix’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation. Why do you think the PBS editors chose to interview him? Are there other voices you wish were included in this interview?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories.
