Vulnerability and adaptation

Climate stressors such as higher temperatures, increasing variation in precipitation patterns, and changes in lake levels are likely to increase the vulnerability of human systems in cities, rural and coastal communities, and tribes to extreme events—including flooding, drought, heat waves, and more intense urban heat island effects. Climate stressors compound existing non-climate stressors, such as economic downturns, shrinking cities, and deteriorating infrastructure.

Residents of the Midwest are already experiencing adverse health impacts from climate change, and these impacts are expected to worsen in the future. The risks are especially high for people whose age, income level, or amount of social connectivity make them more vulnerable.