Since 2020, every state has experienced one or more disasters with damages greater than $1 billion.

Southerners have borne the brunt of climate disasters since 2020, with 81% of Southerners living in a county that had a disaster, compared to 71% of non-Southerners.

According to their assessments, 14.6 million properties nationwide are at substantial risk of flooding. 5.9 million of them are not currently within FEMA special flood hazard areas and, thus, not required to buy flood insurance.

According to the most recent data available by county, in 2021, 92% of Southerners (versus 61% of non-Southerners) were exposed to 5+ days of extreme heat.

A study by the U.S. Treasury Department finds that many Southern counties with high heat exposure are also socially vulnerable — particularly in the Mississippi Delta region.

Heat-related deaths have increased in recent years, becoming the primary cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.

Black carbon, or soot, contributes to global warming and air pollution. EPA regulations helped to steadily decrease the presence of black carbon; however, rising global temperatures and human activity have led to more frequent wildfires that release that same particle — reversing over 20 years of U.S. progress.

Achieving the necessary level of greenhouse gas mitigation to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change will demand an unparalleled investment of time, resources, and labor, spanning every sector of the economy.

Power interruptions can be deadly, particularly following climate shocks which tend to occur during the hottest or coldest times of year — leaving residents without air conditioning or heat sources.