Racial and Economic Disparities in High-Temperature Exposure in Brazil.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Social Epidemiology

Background:

• Limited research exists on the distribution of climate change impacts across vulnerable populations.
• Understanding exposure disparities is crucial for equitable climate change adaptation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial and economic disparities in high-temperature exposure in Brazil.
• To quantify the differential impact of extreme heat on vulnerable subpopulations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized georeferenced temperature data (Global High-Resolution Estimates of Extreme Heat) and 2010 Brazilian Census population data.
• Calculated population-weighted heat exposure (PHE¯) exceeding 28°C.
• Analyzed disparities using exposure rate differences and weighted Gini coefficients.

Main Results:

• Black, brown, Indigenous, and low-income populations face the highest exposure to extreme heat.
• Indigenous populations experience 47% higher heat exposure than white populations nationally.
• Consistent patterns of higher heat exposure for Black-brown-Indigenous and low-income groups across diverse regions.

Conclusions:

• Climate change exacerbates economic inequality and within-country disparities in Brazil.
• Urgent need for public policies addressing racial and economic inequities in heat exposure.
• Context-sensitive analyses are vital for mitigating heat-related health risks.