Community-based participatory research approach to transforming protection for priority populations from extreme temperatures

Abstract

Recognizing that 1) climate change is bringing more frequent and severe extreme temperatures that have significant health impacts, particularly for populations facing injustices; and yet, 2) available supports such as warming/cooling centres are under-utilized, our community-based participatory research project aims to understand how to better meet the needs of current and potential users of these extreme temperature services. We conducted multilingual interviews and focus groups with adults and seniors (n=60) who are unhoused or live in low-income housing about their experiences with extreme heat and cold, whether they make use of cooling/warming centres, as well as how to improve or transform these services. In this presentation, I report our findings and how they can inform thinking about 1) improving access to and uptake of existing services and resources, and; 2) seeking creative and transformative alternatives that can protect people facing highest risk from extreme temperatures. We also contextualize findings under the broader framework of ‘Right to Cool’ to cohere various paradigmatic approaches to cooling and their implications for policy.

Speaker

Dr. Liv Yoon is an Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology at UBC UBC and member of UBC Centre for Climate Justice. Prior, she completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and Mailman School of Public Health before working at Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Office. Her research considers taking climate change as an opportunity to challenge the status quo and promote structural changes that alleviate social inequities that both led to, and are exacerbated by, the climate crisis.