Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Joins 50 + Organizations in Supporting Federal Policy Agenda for Tackling Extreme Heat
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the leading North American industry association dedicated to advancing green infrastructure practices, today joined the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) and more than 50 labor, industry, health, housing, environmental, academic, and community associations and organizations in unveiling the 2025 Heat Policy Agenda. This strategy provides specific, actionable policy ideas to tackle the growing threat of extreme heat in the United States – an issue that now affects all 50 states.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) has been at the forefront of promoting green infrastructure solutions to address environmental challenges. Green roofs, living walls, and other green technologies provide significant benefits, including cooling cities, reducing energy consumption, improving air and water quality, and creating habitats for biodiversity. Transforming rooftops and urban spaces into vibrant green areas helps mitigate the urban heat island effect, enhances stormwater management, and improves the quality of life in cities. Through research, advocacy, and education, GRHC is committed to fostering sustainable, resilient urban environments.
“The 2025 Heat Policy Agenda lays out a comprehensive strategy for how to build U.S. resilience to extreme heat using science, technology, and evidence-based solutions,” says Daniel Correa, CEO of the Federation of American Scientists. “These ideas are also designed to increase government efficiency, protect critical infrastructure, and secure our Nation’s economy. We look forward to helping political leaders pursue rapid implementation of this critical agenda with the ultimate goal of protecting the health and wellbeing of people across the nation."
“Extreme heat doesn’t just affect ‘hot’ places anymore,” adds Dr. Hannah Safford, FAS Associate Director of Climate and Environment. “Even states like Alaska and Maine are now getting dangerously hot over the summer. Fortunately, we’ve identified bipartisan solutions that could be taken up immediately, paying dividends to our society for years to come.”
Rollout of the Heat Policy Agenda comes as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirms 2024 as the hottest year on record, continuing a sustained trend. The 10 warmest years in modern history have all occurred during the past decade. Extreme heat now affects tens of millions of Americans each year, and costs the country more than $160 billion annually in health costs, lost productivity, and other impacts. The Agenda outlines ways the federal government can protect people, places, and the economy, such as by:
Establishing a clear, sustained federal governance structure for extreme heat.
Amending the Stafford Act to explicitly define extreme heat as a “major disaster”, thereby unlocking federal relief funds during heat waves.
Including extreme heat as a core component of national preparedness and public-health capabilities.
Retaining and expanding critical federal programs that prepare homes and other infrastructure against threats like power outages.
Transforming the built and landscaped environment through strategic investments in urban forestry and green infrastructure to cool communities, transportation systems to secure safe movement of people and goods, and power infrastructure to ready for greater load demand.
“As a Nation, we’ve underinvested in extreme heat relative to other natural hazards – but heat kills more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined,” observes Grace Wickerson, FAS Health Equity Policy Manager. “Our 2025 Heat Policy Agenda addresses this emerging public health crisis from the ground up, with an emphasis on protecting children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations.”
The 2025 Heat Policy Agenda represents insights and perspectives from hundreds of practitioners, technical experts, and community leaders. The full list of organizations co-signing the Agenda and urging immediate policy action on extreme heat is listed below. Please fill out this form if your organization would like to be added to this list.
Signatories Urging Policy Action on Extreme Heat
Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
American Forests
Arizona State University's Knowledge Exchange for Resilience
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Center for American Progress
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Energy Poverty and Climate
Children’s Environmental Health Network
Climate Mayors
Climate Power
Climate Resilience Center
Climate Resolve
Elevate
Energy Equity Project
Federation of American Scientists
Food Tank
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Grid Alternatives
Groundwork USA
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
Institute for Market Transformation
Korey Stringer Institute
La Isla Network
League of Conservation Voters
MetroLab Network
Moms Clean Air Force
National Center for Healthy Housing
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Consumer Law Center
National Council on Occupational Safety and Health
National Employment Law Project
National Energy Assistance Directors Association
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Recreation and Parks Association
Natural Resources Defense Council
National Young Farmers Coalition
Next100
New America Future of Land and Housing Program
Organizing Resilience
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Rebuild by Design
Smart Surfaces Coalition
Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
Ten Across Resilience Network
The CLEO Institute
The New Buildings Institute
The Passive House Network
Undaunted K12
Union of Concerned Scientists
Urban Sustainability Directors Network
Yale Center on Climate Change and Health
ABOUT THIS COALITION
More than 50 labor, health, industry, environmental, and community organizations join with the Federation of American Scientists to support the 2025 Heat Policy Agenda, a comprehensive, common-sense strategy to tackle the growing threat of extreme heat in the United States. This call for action comes as 2024 is officially declared the hottest year on record, continuing a sustained trend. Extreme heat now affects tens of millions of Americans each year, and costs the country more than $160 billion annually in health costs, lost productivity, and other impacts. Rapid implementation of the 2025 Heat Policy Agenda will mitigate heat impacts, boosting the U.S. economy and making it safer for all Americans to live, work, and play.
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About Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional industry association working to grow the green roof and wall industry throughout North America since 1999. Our mission is to develop and protect the market by increasing the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development, and celebrations of excellence.
We publish The Living Architecture Monitor quarterly online magazine where industry leaders share their insights and expertise. These articles increase awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs, walls and other forms of living architecture.
We also offer free access to The Living Architecture Academy, an online professional development platform which is dedicated to bringing you the best, most up to date professional training information on design, installation and maintenance practices across a wide range of green infrastructure topics. The LAA offers short lectures and multi-day courses such as: Green Roof Professional Training, Introduction to Green Walls, Biodiverse Green Roof Maintenance, and more.
We also publish the Green Pages: Industry Green Roof and Wall Directory which is designed to support you with your living architecture projects by providing a list of trusted manufacturers, suppliers of accessories, green walls, nurseries, and certified Green Roof Professionals (GRPs). From small-scale residential projects to large commercial installations, this directory has everything you need to find support to create a sustainable and beautiful living space.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
