Climate change must be on the mind of every security, emergency management, and business continuity professional. As the temperature rises, so does the risk of aggression and violence. For professionals in any discipline related to safety and security, this will be a growing concern as the planet continues to warm. Studies have demonstrated a linear relationship that directly ties escalating temperatures to escalating violence with assault rates peaking at the highest temperatures. Other studies have shown that in hot weather people are more likely to misread neutral signals as signs of hostility and less likely to avoid or condemn violence. When people are overheated, they simply have trouble thinking straight; there is notable cognitive disruption and distortion that can lead to poor problem-solving and overreactions to perceived threats.
