By Rob Lorei
Today on Radioactivity, Host Rob Lorei looks at the economic and health risks of climate change on the U.S. southeast. A report released by bi-partisan group Risky Business claims that if rising temperatures continue at the current rate, it will stymie current economic growth and agricultural gains, and lead to an increase in heat-related deaths. For Florida, which stands to lose the most property than any other state, that could mean an annual property loss average of over $1.3 Billion by 2030. The projected increase in the annual number of extreme heat days could lead to over 5,080 heat deaths by 2050, the most affected being the elderly and poor who cannot afford adequate air-conditioning. We talk to Al Sommer,former chair of the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and co-chair of Risk Business, about the report’s findings.