The vulnerability assessments examine certain climate impacts and the corresponding health effects they have on communities. They identify which communities are most vulnerable, allowing HCPH to concentrate public health interventions (e.g. community outreach, cooling center placement and nature-based solutions) in areas that need them most. The assessments can be utilized by HCPH and other organizations to provide a data-driven approach to climate change and health resilience efforts.
The current vulnerability assessments are focused around extreme heat, flooding and air quality. In the future the focus will expand to include other climate concerns and explore the interactions between multiple climate impacts.