For 20 years, the Nicholas Institute has pursued the “quest for yes”— bringing people together across differences, grounding big ideas in evidence and co-creating durable solutions to environmental and energy challenges. On Oct. 23, the institute welcomed students, scholars, alumni and partners in the community to an anniversary celebration that blended reflection with forward momentum.

A video and landing page from the Rockefeller Foundation highlight the Heat Policy Innovation Hub's Cooling Communities project among other initiatives designed to safeguard human health in the face of extreme heat. 

With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Heat Policy Innovation Hub's Cooling Communities project is helping to scale life-saving, community-driven measures for confronting extreme heat. This includes developing a structured pathway for trusted institutions to move toward becoming Community Lighthouses: hubs designed to keep people informed, safe, and connected during disasters.

A commentary by Naveen Rao, MD—senior vice president of the Health Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation—highlights the importance of centering community needs and insights when tackling heat-related health challenges. He cites the Heat Policy Innovation Hub's work to establish community lighthouses as an example of an approach that puts resources and decision-making in the hands of trusted local institutions.   

A new report from Duke's Heat Policy Innovation Hub provides the first multistate review of heat-related legislation in 11 states, offering a comprehensive view of both policy activity and inaction in the Southeast. The report indicates that efforts to address extreme heat are gaining traction with state legislatures in the region, but policies remain fragmented and inconsistent across jurisdictions.

Landlords in North Carolina are only required to provide heating during the winter, not cooling in the summer. State law says they must maintain existing AC units, but they’re not required to provide them. Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, told WUNC that passing a cooling ordinance would help make air conditioning more affordable and accessible to the people who need it most. "All we're asking for is what we already do for cold weather ... [to] also do it for hot weather," she said.

Recognition is growing among officials in many cities that heat is a workplace hazard, but what could be considered extreme in Boston might be a normal temperature in a state such as Arizona. "What we’re talking about is temperatures that are above expected or what is normal for the area in which you are," Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, told The Christian Science Monitor.

Held June 24–26, this invitation-only summit gathered dozens of leaders from diverse sectors for roundtable discussions designed to translate research and insights into actionable policies and strategies on extreme heat. The event was led by Duke University’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub as part of the HeatWise Policy Partnership, a brain trust committed to accelerating extreme heat solutions in the United States.

Heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the United States, killing more people annually than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes or extreme cold. “There is a misunderstanding of the risk,” Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, told Heatmap News. “A lot of people—particularly working age or younger people—don’t feel like they’re at risk when, in fact, they are.”

"While heat is expected in the summer, the scale and intensity of this current heat event—stretching through most of the U.S.—is unusual for late July," said Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub. Ward talked with Newsweek about simple but effective ways people can stay cool even without air conditioning.

The Global Heat Health Information Network, World Meteorological Organization, U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Duke University's Nicholas Institute have launched three new resources as part of an effort to help improve international and multi-sectoral coordination on heat risk reduction. “If countries and institutions want to act swiftly and decisively to protect communities and economies, we must collaborate with and learn from one another as we develop systems for improving heat resilience,” said Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub.

With more dangerous temperatures in the forecast this week for North Carolina, Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, talked with Public News Service about the far-reaching effects of extreme heat. "I often run into people who tell stories of rationing their energy use in the summer so they can afford to buy medicine or food," Ward said. "Heat affects so much of our lives and it's important that we think about it holistically as part of health but also well-being."

“Overwhelmingly, what we see is heat increases underlying risk” for maternal and infant health, Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, told NJ Spotlight News. Ward discussed the dangers of high nighttime temperatures and rural heat for pregnant women and their babies and steps to reduce the risks.

Extreme heat endangers human health, the economy, national security, and more. In a commentary published by The New York Times, Ashley Ward (director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub) examines the risks posed by heat--and how to build resilience. 

During extreme heat events, people should prioritize creating a cool space in their bedroom because sleeping in stifling temperatures comes with “some of the worst health outcomes from heat,” Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, explained to Homes.com. Ward and other experts offer tips for controlling your shade, water and space.