Program on the Environment

Extreme heat events (EHEs) are the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, with the 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave alone killing over 600 people. As EHEs increase in frequency and severity due to climate change, local governments are working to strengthen their approaches to heat governance. Within heat governance, there is a clear divide between short-term responses to acute heat impacts (heat response) and longer-term efforts to improve thermal comfort and resilience (heat planning). This study examines how heat responders and planners in Pierce County identify barriers to effective heat governance and how greater collaboration between these groups could help address them. As the Policy and Research Intern with the Pierce County Council, I conducted interviews with officials from county departments, intergovernmental organizations, and local non-profits. The interview content was thematically coded and cross-referenced with existing literature on barriers to effective heat management. Findings indicate that planners primarily face a lack of policies and data on extreme heat to support the objectives outlined in existing plans, while responders struggle with inflexible funding and limited coordination across cities. Both groups expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness of their communication strategies and a shared interest in closer collaboration. The institutionalization of these divergent challenges may weaken community adaptive capacity. Strengthening collaboration between planners and responders is therefore critical to overcoming these barriers and enhancing Pierce County’s overall heat resilience. Ultimately, how well planners and responders collaborate today will determine how resilient Pierce County is to tomorrow’s climate extremes.