What are cumulative hazards?
Cumulative hazards* are the combined impact of multiple factors that can increase a person's or community's chances of developing a disease over time due to climate hazards. From the scorching heat of a summer day to the pollutants in the air you breathe, climate hazards are complex and interconnected.
*hazards refer to extreme weather events, including flooding, heat waves, air pollution, etc.
Climate Change is a Risk Multiplier.
For example, if a heatwave leads to a power blackout or, a flood event interacts with chemicals stored in an industrial facility, their combined effects on worker and resident health will be far worse than just one or the other.
Image credits: Thomas Reuters (left), Joanne McKenna (top), iStock/Kirkikis (bottom)
These impacts are not felt evenly —
people who lack the private resources to get out of harm’s way are disproportionately impacted by climate change and they face far more pollution in their day-to-day life.
Low-income residents and workers of color and people with pre-existing health conditions are especially at risk.
Repeated exposures can add up and lower thresholds for people experiencing mental and physical health issues.
Learn More
Resilient Mystic Collaborative
Climate Data — Risk Multipliers
Mystic River Watershed Association