Oregon Public Broadcasting

Climate resiliency programs will protect Oregonians from dangerous weather, says Climate and Health in Oregon report.

As parts of Oregon are under a heat advisory and multiple wildfires burn across the state, a report out Friday highlights the connection between climate change and health, finding some communities are continuing to bear the brunt from extreme weather events more than others.

But an increase in climate action and resiliency programs can help provide more relief to those communities, the report says.

The Oregon Health Authority’s Climate and Health in Oregon report examines how climate change impacted residents’ health in 2023. It found that some Oregonians, particularly low-income people and members of communities of color and rural communities, are more significantly affected by extreme weather like heat waves, drought and wildfires.