For more information about the HeatWise Policy Partnership, contact Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at the Nicholas Institute.
Record-setting heat has taken a devastating toll on human health and economic productivity in the United States in recent years. The scope and magnitude of this deadly threat is awakening new political will as decision-makers confront the inadequacy of current systems and the urgent need for innovative policy solutions.
Launched in 2024 to meet the moment, the HeatWise Policy Partnership is a brain trust of leaders committed to accelerating extreme heat solutions in the United States. The partnership is structured on a two-year cycle that integrates policy ideation with targeted outreach and implementation efforts.
The HeatWise Policy Partnership is organized by the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.
2025 HeatWise DC: Advancing Policy Solutions for Extreme Heat
HeatWise DC, to be held June 24–26, 2025, is a series of high-impact roundtable discussions designed to translate research and insights into actionable policies and strategies.
This invitation-only event will bring together key stakeholders—including federal and local policymakers, private sector leaders, researchers, and community advocates—to drive meaningful progress in heat resilience and governance. Discussions will focus on three themes:
- Rural heat vulnerability
- National defense and security
- Financing for heat mitigation and insurance
Through focused, cross-sector dialogue, participants will collaborate on strategies to reduce heat-related risks and build long-term resilience. The outcomes of HeatWise in DC will directly inform federal policy discussions and set the stage for broader adoption of heat resilience strategies nationwide.
2024 HeatWise Policy Partnership Summit
At the HeatWise Policy Partnership Summit in June 2024, more than 100 researchers, policymakers, and corporate and community leaders converged at Duke University in Durham, NC, for robust cross-sectoral dialogue about how to make communities more resilient to heat events.
During dynamic roundtable discussions, attendees identified gaps, shared insights and lessons learned, and mapped out evidence-based, community-centered solutions. Discussions focused on three core themes:
- Data for risk, exposure, and impact
- Blended finance and the future of the insurance industry
- Rural heat interventions
Following the summit, the Nicholas Institute published a report identifying concrete recommendations on the core themes. The recommendations form the basis of an outreach and education program aimed at policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as public agency leadership.
Sponsors of HeatWise DC
HeatWise DC is made possible by support from generous sponsors. We are so grateful to these organizations for investing in policy leadership to protect communities across the United States in the face of extreme heat.
For inquiries about sponsorship, please contact Ashley Ward (director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub): ashley.ward2@duke.edu.






