Authorities Available for Interviews Across Multiple Sectors
UMass Lowell's David Turcotte is an authority on how extreme heat can effect respiratory conditions.
05/19/2023
Media contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, director of media relations and Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations
The Climate Change Initiative at UMass Lowell brings together faculty and expert researchers from across the university’s five colleges – representing education experts, economists, biological scientists, political scientists and more – to discuss and further our understanding of the vastly broad impacts of the changing environment.
In response to Wednesday’s news that the coming summer months of 2023 will most likely break heat records set in 2016, members of the CCI expressed concern and detailed how climate change will impact their areas of study.
David Turcotte, economics research professor and director of the Healthy Homes Program
“Extreme heat increases ozone and particulate pollution, which has negative health consequences for especially vulnerable populations, such as children and those with asthma and other respiratory conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive heat also increases the risk of death and heat stroke and is linked to increased hospital admissions for heart, kidney and respiratory disorders.”
Mathew Barlow, environmental, Earth and atmospheric sciences professor
“It is very likely that yet another record high for global temperature will be set this year or the next, and nearly certain it will be set in the next five years. This is due to a combination of human-caused global warming and the naturally occurring El Niño phenomenon. The warming will continue to accelerate the occurrence of heat waves and more intense fluctuations in rainfall, including both floods and droughts, over most land areas as well as coral bleaching and other disruptions to marine ecosystems in the ocean. If El Niño continues to develop, two areas of special concern are the Greater Horn of Africa and Southwest Asia – both of which are regions where moderate El Niño rains would bring much needed relief after three years of drought but heavy El Niño rains might cause flooding and further worsen local humanitarian needs.”
To arrange an interview with Turcotte or Barlow, please contact Emily Gowdey-Backus or Nancy Cicco.