Climate Change

Wildfires, heat waves, floods, and droughts are harming and threatening Latino communities, leaving them disproportionately harmed by climate change. In the U.S., communities of color face heightened risks and exposure to climate-related events with Latinos among the groups most likely to be harmed.

HOW THIS ISSUE IMPACTS YOU: A report released by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that Latinos are 43 percent more likely than non-Latinos to live in areas with the highest projected job losses among weather-exposed industries due to extreme heat. Consequently, this increases home energy costs for Latino households, forcing Latino families to make a tough decision: endure the heat or incur debt. Heat is not the only climate-induced threat to Latinos. Many Latinos live in or near flood-threat zones. Even oil and gas pollution endangers the health of Latino communities because many have little choice but to live near the sources of such pollution. Nearly two million Latinos live within a half-mile radius of existing oil and gas facilities, with this number growing each year.

DID YOU KNOW? The consequences of climate change are not isolated events and are even leading to increased property taxes and home insurance rates in Latino-dominated zip codes.