Extreme heat events are increasing in frequency and intensity across Europe, posing serious risk, especially in urban areas. Human-made modifications like dense infrastructure, use of asphalt and pavements, and limited green spaces intensify the phenomenon of ‘urban overheating,’ exacerbating the impacts.
In response, VITO and TECNALIA are working together to develop an Urban Heat Service* aimed at helping city administrations and key stakeholders to better understand and address the impacts of heat stress in urban areas. To ensure the service is tailored to the real needs of cities, they are conducting a survey to gather inputs from local and regional authorities on their experiences with heat-stress challenges and their priorities for long-term adaptation.
This survey seeks to provide an initial assessment of cities' needs related to:
- Heat stress, its causes, timing, and effects - through relevant thermal variables and impact indicators.
- Adaptation options, including possible adaptation scenarios, effectiveness, benchmarking of options - to help reduce the impacts of heat stress.
- Additional information required to support decision-making and planning for heat resilience.
Cities participating in this survey will be considered for selection as key-users for whom the service will be run, providing an opportunity to engage with the service first hand.
* This work is part of a contract with ECMWF under the Destination Earth program. For more information about this contract, please visit its website.
Input / Survey
Tecnalia