The National Heat Strategy is a Strong First Step

On August 14 the federal government released the United States’ first National Heat Strategy. As it stands today, the Strategy is a major step forward for coordinated federal action to recognize and address extreme heat and it confirms that agencies across the federal government are making this a high priority issue. But like all strategic […]Photo: Wikimedia Commons On August 14 the federal government released the United States’ first National Heat Strategy. As it stands today, the Strategy is a major step forward for coordinated federal action to recognize and address extreme heat and it confirms that agencies across the federal government are making this a high priority issue. But like all strategic plans, it is just a first step—implementing the high-level goals it outlines will require partnerships with other stakeholders, especially local governments, on the frontlines of climate adaptation. And for future updates, the Strategy itself could be improved by making those partnerships a central feature. The National Heat Strategy The Strategy is authored by the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS), an interagency initiative coordinating work across two dozen federal agencies and led by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The