Heat Stress, Air Pollution Risk, and Population Exposure: Evidence from Selected Asian Countries

Asian countries face rising and unequal exposure to heat stress and ambient air pollution. Using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), satellite-based PM2.5 estimates, and IPUMS census data for Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, and Viet Nam, this study identifies climate hotspots, documents the unique association between UTCI and PM2.5 levels for each country in 2000 and 2020, and finally shows diverse patterns of exposure to shocks among different population groups in terms of gender, age, and employment status.