Abstract project title: center for community innovation on heat resilience (CCIHR) competition name: NIHHIS center of excellence center for climate and health assessments, policy, and practice (center…

Abstract project title: center for community innovation on heat resilience (CCIHR) competition name: NIHHIS center of excellence center for climate and health assessments, policy, and practice (center 2) introduction to the problem: as climate change persists, experts predict more frequent, longer lasting, and increasingly severe heat events in the united states, posing greater health risks. Communities nationwide are preparing for prolonged heat challenges and need evidence-based guidance for heat resilience decisions. Especially in under-resourced areas, community leaders and policymakers require technical support to assess heat impact and the effectiveness of risk reduction measures. Rationale: in the face of climate change and inadequate heat mitigation policies, communities across the US urgently need a cohesive, community-centered approach to heat resilience. Our proposed center for community innovation on heat resilience (CCIHR) will combine rigorous science research with community insights to develop practical policy frameworks, creating a replicable model for community-driven heat resilience solutions, particularly in underserved and vulnerable US communities. The ccihrs integrated multidimensional strategy will enable IT to bridge knowledge and action gaps and catalyze innovative heat resilience solutions. Goals: ccihrs goals are aligned with noaas climate research goals and strategic objectives to: (1) build a climate-ready nation and (2) make equity central to noaas mission. Working in synergy with the national integrated heat health information system (NIHHIS), the ccihrs goals are to: 1. Catalyze innovative, equitable, and sustainable policies to mitigate and build resilience against extreme heat. 2. Combine scientific research with community insights to close knowledge gaps on heat risk and strengthen capacity to develop effective mitigation and resilience strategies. 3. Empower communities with place-based solutions for extreme heat through engaged technical assistance including JUSTICE40 identified rural and under-resourced communities. Summary of work: CCIHR will support evidence-based community action for heat resilience, providing technical assistance to community leaders, adding to the state of science on the effectiveness of heat interventions, and sharing best practices, transferable across geographies. The objectives of the cchir are: 1. Design and standardize heat resilience metrics, thresholds, and indicators. 2. Enable access and analytics of critical climate and health datasets for affected communities. 3. Foster community and policymaker capabilities through resource dissemination and training, increasing outreach and education to affected communities. 4. Offer targeted technical assistance for heat mitigation project and policy development. 5. Synthesize and share lessons learned to promote transferability and scalability. Broader impacts and relevance: this project aligns with NOAA's mission to promote equitable solutions for climate-related challenges, safeguarding both lives and property. By addressing the specific needs of underserved communities, we enhance NOAA's vision of building resilience in populations most vulnerable to environmental threats. Our approach prioritizes scientific rigor and equitable representation, ensuring that the benefits of our work reach those who need them most. Our efforts in at least 10 communities annually will serve as a model that can be expanded nationwide through our consortium.