News & insights Publication library Heat Resilience: An Opportunity for Cross-Sector Action in the United States Extreme heat is the deadliest—and most underestimated—climate threat in the U.S. This new white paper from Forum for the Future and Trane Technologies through the Climate and Health Coalition, lays out a shared agenda for collective action to protect people, communities, and economies from rising heat. Download the White Paper The challenge Each year, extreme heat kills more than 1,300 people in the United States, making it the leading climate-related cause of death—surpassing hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. Yet the crisis remains largely invisible. At the same time, rising temperatures are driving escalating economic losses. By 2030, heat could cost the U.S. economy up to $200 billion a year, and as much as $500 billion by 2050, through lost labor productivity, supply-chain disruptions, energy demand, and damage to public infrastructure. Despite its scale, heat risk is still treated as a fragmented problem. Communities, businesses, and governments are taking action—but in silos. Building a resilient future will require collaboration across sectors and scales. About the white paper Heat Resilience: An Opportunity for Cross-Sector Action in the United States, developed by Forum for the Future and Trane Technologies through the Climate and Health Coalition, is a call to collective action on one of the most urgent and overlooked climate challenges. Drawing on six months of collaboration with experts and practitioners across business, healthcare, government, and community organizations, the paper outlines what it will take to protect people, communities, and economies from intensifying heat. Inside, you’ll find: A roadmap for collective action outlining system-level shifts needed to address extreme heat. Sector-specific guidance for businesses—including those in insurance, pharmaceuticals and consumer health, agriculture and food, technology, the built environment, and media—as well as for policymakers at the city and state levels. Policy, finance, and design levers that enable community-centered resilience. Case studies from organizations leading on heat resilience—including Bayer, Elevance Health, the Federation of American Scientists, Johnson & Johnson, the Resilient Cities Network, La Isla Network, Health Care Without Harm, The Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health, Mercer and the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health, Safe Work 4 All Coalition, and Trane Technologies. “Extreme heat is a shared challenge that no single sector can solve alone. Building heat resilience means working together—across industries and communities—to protect lives and livelihoods.” Why collective action matters The paper identifies a clear message from leaders across sectors: no one organization can build resilience alone. Coordinated action is needed to: Protect workers and vulnerable communities through strengthened heat-safety standards, community-resilience programs, and equitable access to cooling infrastructure. Embed heat adaptation into everyday life by advancing resilient housing, reliable energy systems, and health-centered urban planning. Integrate extreme heat into corporate strategy and governance, ensuring risk management, workforce health, and operational continuity are central to business planning. Mobilize finance and investment to retrofit infrastructure, scale innovation, and unlock dedicated funding mechanisms for resilience. Leverage data, technology, and health insights to strengthen early-warning systems and inform evidence-based decision-making. Align public, private, and philanthropic efforts to fill funding and policy gaps, build shared accountability, and enable coordinated local and national action. Join Us Join Forum for the Future and the Climate and Health Coalition in Collectively Building a Shared Agenda for Heat Resilience Across Multiple Geographies. Partner with us to co-design bold, cross-sector strategies that accelerate equitable, systemic responses to extreme heat at a city, regional, state, and country level—mobilizing private sector leadership alongside policy, public health, and community action to protect people, strengthen systems, and build a more resilient future. 📩 Reach us at [email protected] Download the White Paper Learn more about the Climate and Health Coalition Manage Cookie Preferences