Font size:
Print
Inclusive Urban Climate Resilience
Context:
In 2008, more people globally lived in cities than in rural areas for the first time in history, marking a pivotal shift in human settlement patterns.
More on News
- Urbanisation, while transformative, has significantly contributed to climate change through practices such as widespread use of heat-retentive materials like concrete.
- Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) are zones within cities that are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas, with temperature differences projected to reach 8-10°C by mid-century.
Health Impacts of Heat
- Direct Effects: Heat stress can lead to exhaustion, cardiovascular failures, and respiratory complications, with dehydration further exacerbating risks.
- Heatwaves are consistently linked to peak mortality events; UHIs may contribute up to 40% of heat-related deaths in European cities.
- Indirect Effects: Rising temperatures worsen air pollution, increasing respiratory diseases.
- The wet-bulb effect, a deadly combination of high heat and humidity, poses significant risks, as seen in cities like Jacobabad, Pakistan.
- Economic Costs: In New York, heat levels are expected to increase hospitalisation rates and healthcare costs by significant margins by the century’s end.
Vulnerable Populations
- Socio-Spatial Inequalities: Vulnerable groups include the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and populations in informal settlements with poor ventilation and limited green spaces.
- Cities in the Global South, such as Mumbai and Lagos, face severe challenges due to overcrowded neighbourhoods and limited access to cooling resources.
- Occupational Hazards: Outdoor workers in informal sectors experience daily heat stress due to inadequate protections like shade and water access.
- Studies in Ahmedabad, Bangkok, and Jakarta highlight the dire conditions faced by street vendors, labourers, and other informal workers.
Solutions to Urban Heat Islands
- Built Environment Interventions:
- Cool Pavements: Reflective materials reduce heat absorption. Examples:
- Doha, Qatar: Cooling materials reduced asphalt temperatures by 7°C.
- Phoenix, USA: City-wide adoption could save up to $20 million annually in air conditioning costs.
- Cool Roofs: Initiatives in Hyderabad, India, and Bangkok have shown effective temperature reductions in informal settlements using low-cost, locally sourced materials.
- Cool Pavements: Reflective materials reduce heat absorption. Examples:
- Urban Greening:
- Trees and Vegetation: Trees not only cool cities but also reduce flood risks and improve mental health.
- Green Corridors: Medellín, Colombia’s investment in green corridors is projected to lower city temperatures by several degrees by 2030.
- Vertical Forests: Projects in Milan and Huanggang demonstrate the potential for space-efficient greenery in dense urban areas.
- Community-Based Efforts: Chicago’s “Our Roots” initiative empowers residents to expand tree canopies in underserved areas.
- Projects in Chennai and Jakarta transform urban lanes and abandoned lots into green spaces with multiple resilience benefits.
Policy, Finance, and Global Action
- Comprehensive Urban Policies: Cities need integrated strategies encompassing healthcare, transportation, and architectural solutions for sustainable heat adaptation.
- However, only one in three cities currently incorporates health into their climate resilience plans.
- International Initiatives: COP27 introduced the Sustainable Urban Resilience for the Next Generation (SURGe) initiative, engaging 180 cities in climate action.
- COP28 built on this momentum, establishing financing principles for climate and health solutions, with hopes for further progress at COP29.
- Challenges in Financing: Cities receive limited climate finance due to low creditworthiness and fiscal constraints.
- Multilateral development banks (MDBs) primarily fund large infrastructure projects, leaving smaller urban investments underserved.
- Successful programmes like the Green Cities initiative show the potential for targeted sub-national funding.
Way Forward
- Action: Addressing UHIs and their health impacts requires urgent action, particularly in rapidly urbanising regions of the Global South.
- Innovations: Innovations in urban design, cooling infrastructure, and green spaces offer promising solutions, but adaptation alone is insufficient.
Commitment: Bold policy measures and a global commitment to emissions control and environmental preservation are essential to mitigate the existential threat of climate change to cities and vulnerable populations.
