Yesterday, local leaders, public health advocates, and elected officials gathered for the first event in the Extreme Weather Emergency Tour, a four-state press tour highlighting how climate-change-fueled extreme weather is making life increasingly costly and dangerous for Americans. The press conference called attention to the dangers of intensifying heat waves in Philadelphia and the disproportionate burden on vulnerable neighborhoods. The event was planned before the devastating flash flood in Central Texas on July 4 that took more than 100 lives, many of them children.
With last summer’s record heat and recent soaring temperatures, speakers highlighted how programs like TreePhilly, Green City Clean Waters, and Built to Last are helping residents stay safe—and why continued federal investment is critical to protecting public health and addressing the threats of climate change. Philadelphia City Councilmembers, state lawmakers, community leaders and residents shared the lived impacts of high heat in neighborhoods like Hunting Park—one of the hottest in the city. They called on Congress to oppose any additional cuts to climate programs and protect the remaining funding that’s needed to scale life-saving solutions to mitigate climate-fueled extreme weather.
Expanding the conversation to include public health impacts, Senator Sharif Street, PA Senate District 3, emphasized the environmental equity dimensions of climate investment. “Here in North Philadelphia, every high-heat day triggers an air-quality alert—and the underlying cause is clear: pollution and climate change,” said Senator Street. “We need sustained investment in clean energy, green spaces, and sustainable public transit that not only cuts CO2 emissions but also provides communities with safe, cool ways to get around. These aren’t luxuries—they’re critical public health tools, and federal support is key to making them a reality for every neighborhood.”
The Extreme Weather Emergency Tour comes on the heels of the devastating floods that took place in Central Texas and aims to highlight how the Trump administration’s rollbacks of clean energy funding and climate protections – standards that are meant to address the root cause of extreme weather – and attacks on agencies like FEMA, NOAA and the National Weather Service are exacerbating extreme weather and weakening disaster preparedness and response. Speakers participating in Philadelphia’s tour event showcased solutions to the pressing problem of extreme weather, highlighting the importance of pollution protections, clean energy incentives, and more.
Rep. Danilo Burgos, PA House District 197, addressed the urgent need for climate resilience in North Philadelphia. “Neighborhoods in Kensington were never built for the kind of intensifying summer heat we’re now experiencing—crumbling infrastructure, homes built in another era, and a lack of cooling resources mean communities are literally suffering in their own homes,” said Rep. Burgos. “That’s why we need to scale up lifesaving resilience investments like weatherization, tree canopy expansion, and cooling centers—with meaningful support from state and federal partners to truly protect our most vulnerable communities.”
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (7th District) addressed the urgency of climate resilience in underserved communities. “Extreme weather deepens the disparities faced by neighborhoods with aging homes, under-resourced schools, and limited green space,” said Councilmember Lozada. “Programs like Built to Last are delivering urgently needed upgrades such as weatherization and cooling systems—but we can not endure cuts to these programs. We need sustained federal investment in tree cover, climate resilient infrastructure, and comprehensive planning to truly protect our most vulnerable residents, our children and seniors.”
Emily Lucas, Director of Residential Programs, Philadelphia Energy Authority, highlighted the real-world impact of home energy improvements. “The recent, historic extreme heat we’ve experienced underscores the importance of programs like Built to Last,” said Lucas. “We’re creating pathways out of the affordability crisis that so many Philadelphians are facing. By upgrading to all-electric heat pumps, we can preserve housing that is safe, healthy and affordable, all while preparing our most vulnerable residents for extreme weather conditions, such as record-breaking heat.” These improvements build real climate resilience that lasts, but Philadelphia needs sustained federal funding to expand the programs citywide.”
Elizabeth Lankenau, Director, Office of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia, outlined the city’s collaborative response to rising urban heat. “Philadelphia’s efforts to address extreme heat are built on ambitious collaboration—from piloting cool pavement technology in heat vulnerable Hunting Park, to working with residents to shape neighborhood-specific resilience strategies,” said Lankenau. “We’re also investing in measures, including energy conservation projects, to help keep our residents cooler and safer in the short and long term. But to protect the most vulnerable, we need sustained federal investment to match the urgency on the ground.”
As the event turned to the human cost of inaction, speakers emphasized how climate change is not just a policy issue, but a lived crisis. Aissia Richardson, a North Philadelphia resident, shared her experience. “In my family’s aging row home, summers are a real struggle — no trees, no cooling systems, and for people like my late friend Robert Mendelsohn, who lived with heart disease, there’s just no way to stay cool,” said Richardson. “Extreme heat days aren’t just uncomfortable—they’re dangerous for the members of our community that are left overlooked. It’s one thing to hear about conditions like ‘heat islands,’ but for those of us living in them, the suffering is constant. Unless federal leaders act, this crisis will keep unfolding behind closed doors—and too many lives will be left at risk.”
As summer temperatures continue to climb, speakers warned that without immediate federal action, the risks will compound—leaving cities like Philadelphia to face escalating climate fueled extreme weather events with shrinking resources.
