COVID activity continues at brisk pace across much of US US COVID activity continues a steady rise across most of the nation, according to the latest indicators today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CIDRAP

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10 U.S. states least-prepared for climate change and extreme weather (cnbc.com)

“There’s really no place in the country that doesn’t have risk,” said Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications for First Street Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization. “As you start to look at the multiple hazards, wildfire, wind, flood, extreme heat, then you start to understand that these hazards touch all parts of the country.”

Some states are more vulnerable than others. And even some of those that aren’t are not doing all they can to mitigate the risks....

Some states are well-equipped to deal with the rising risks. But these ten states have work to do.

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Study: Pandemic widened global economic disparities The COVID-19 pandemic hit low-income countries harder than wealthier nations, according to a new study in PLOS One, further slowing progress toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  CIDRAP

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On average, the pandemic caused low-income countries to experience an average progress loss of 16.5% across all health indicators, whereas high-income countries have seen losses as low as 3%, the authors said.

Extreme Heat | United Nations

In response to the rapid rise in the scale, intensity, frequency and duration of extreme heat, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 25 July 2024 called for an urgent and concerted effort to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat in four critical areas:

Caring for the vulnerable - Protecting workers - Boosting resilience of economies and societies using data and science - Limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C by phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investment in renewable energy.

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