Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat

Abstract As the management of extreme weather events becomes increasingly important, climate adaptation strategies are paramount. However, current climate adaptation strategies often overlook aspects of social inequality or even risk exacerbating these. An example is the implementation of Nature-bas...

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Main Authors: Michael Friesenecker, Antonia Schneider, Marianne Bügelmayer-Blaschek, Michael Getzner, Claudia Hahn, Martin Schneider, Sebastian Seebauer, Wojciech Zawadzki, Maja Zuvela-Aloise, Thomas Thaler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:npj Urban Sustainability
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00202-2
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author Michael Friesenecker
Antonia Schneider
Marianne Bügelmayer-Blaschek
Michael Getzner
Claudia Hahn
Martin Schneider
Sebastian Seebauer
Wojciech Zawadzki
Maja Zuvela-Aloise
Thomas Thaler
author_facet Michael Friesenecker
Antonia Schneider
Marianne Bügelmayer-Blaschek
Michael Getzner
Claudia Hahn
Martin Schneider
Sebastian Seebauer
Wojciech Zawadzki
Maja Zuvela-Aloise
Thomas Thaler
author_sort Michael Friesenecker
collection DOAJ
description Abstract As the management of extreme weather events becomes increasingly important, climate adaptation strategies are paramount. However, current climate adaptation strategies often overlook aspects of social inequality or even risk exacerbating these. An example is the implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). These approaches can result in green gentrification; the displacement and exclusion of marginalized groups due to increased attractiveness and value of nearby property. The consideration of social impacts into climate adaptation policies represents a significant challenge because climate policies are usually determined independently from social policies (policy siloing). Here we demonstrate a decision-making process that ensures socially equitable climate adaptation in an urban area. The proposed decision-making framework consists of three sequential stages: (1) climate risk assessment, (2) adaptation analysis, and (3) impact analysis. This decision-making method is applicable to cities worldwide. The City of Vienna, Austria and NbS are used to illustrate how climate adaptation policy can be integrated with social policy to achieve socially equitable urban heat risk management. We showcase that breaking current policy silos is necessary to achieve a socially equitable climate change adaptation strategy.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2661-8001
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj Urban Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-66338fa38a5e4ca0aaf11cf962bede472025-08-20T03:40:47ZengNature Portfolionpj Urban Sustainability2661-80012025-03-015111610.1038/s42949-025-00202-2Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heatMichael Friesenecker0Antonia Schneider1Marianne Bügelmayer-Blaschek2Michael Getzner3Claudia Hahn4Martin Schneider5Sebastian Seebauer6Wojciech Zawadzki7Maja Zuvela-Aloise8Thomas Thaler9Institute of Landscape Planning, BOKU UniversityDepartment of Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, TU WienAIT Austrian Institute of TechnologyDepartment of Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, TU WienGeoSphere Austria – Federal Institute of Geology, Geophysics, Climatology and MeteorologyAIT Austrian Institute of TechnologyLIFE Institute for Climate, Energy Systems and Society, JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbhFaculty of Economic Sciences, University of WarsawGeoSphere Austria – Federal Institute of Geology, Geophysics, Climatology and MeteorologyInstitute of Landscape Planning, BOKU UniversityAbstract As the management of extreme weather events becomes increasingly important, climate adaptation strategies are paramount. However, current climate adaptation strategies often overlook aspects of social inequality or even risk exacerbating these. An example is the implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). These approaches can result in green gentrification; the displacement and exclusion of marginalized groups due to increased attractiveness and value of nearby property. The consideration of social impacts into climate adaptation policies represents a significant challenge because climate policies are usually determined independently from social policies (policy siloing). Here we demonstrate a decision-making process that ensures socially equitable climate adaptation in an urban area. The proposed decision-making framework consists of three sequential stages: (1) climate risk assessment, (2) adaptation analysis, and (3) impact analysis. This decision-making method is applicable to cities worldwide. The City of Vienna, Austria and NbS are used to illustrate how climate adaptation policy can be integrated with social policy to achieve socially equitable urban heat risk management. We showcase that breaking current policy silos is necessary to achieve a socially equitable climate change adaptation strategy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00202-2
spellingShingle Michael Friesenecker
Antonia Schneider
Marianne Bügelmayer-Blaschek
Michael Getzner
Claudia Hahn
Martin Schneider
Sebastian Seebauer
Wojciech Zawadzki
Maja Zuvela-Aloise
Thomas Thaler
Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
npj Urban Sustainability
title Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
title_full Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
title_fullStr Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
title_full_unstemmed Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
title_short Socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
title_sort socially equitable climate risk management of urban heat
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00202-2
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