Strategies to mitigate the effects of future extreme heat waves

The overall purpose of this project is to contribute to the preparedness and adaptability of the society towards future extreme weather conditions and increasing temperatures. 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report mentions that people are already experiencing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among others. Additionally, the increasing temperature disproportionally affects children and the elderly and can increase gender inequality. According to World Health Organization’s report from 2014, this change could be responsible for additional annual deaths of 38000 people from heat stress, particularly among the elderly, and 48000 from diarrhea, 60000 from malaria and 95000 from childhood undernutrition worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to develop decision support strategies in real-life situations during future heat waves to mitigate severe effects. Within this project, these strategies will be based on:

• quantitative data: satellite data and national meteorological data.
• qualitative data: experiences of the society/people, via interviews, concerning heat waves and their perception of coping/dealing with such events.

The aim of the project is to develop decision support strategies in real-life situations during future heat waves to mitigate severe effects. These strategies will be based on both quantitative and qualitative data.

At the end of the project, the society/people will learn about the current trends, different methods and solutions to cope with heat wave events.

Based on the purpose and aim, the main objectives of the project are to:

1. Create summer urban heat island maps for heat wave years (2006, 2014 and 2018) and an average year (2012) as a reference to see any trends and define hotspots in Lerum and Trelleborg municipalities.
2. Identify buildings holding schools, day care centers and/or elderly homes within these hotspots and develop well-grounded and in-depth knowledge on how people, living or working in these buildings, adapt to the heat, including different local strategies and tried out solutions for coping with heat waves events.
3. Provide a decision support tool which will enable municipalities to develop strategies to mitigate the heat wave events in their preparedness plans for extreme weather.
4. Communicate and disseminate the lessons learned to other municipalities and developed methods to the scientific community.

As an outcome of the project, developed strategies with and for stakeholders will help the relevant actors, such as care centers, schools, day cares, to prepare themselves for extreme weather conditions, adapt to increasing temperatures and reduce the need to unnecessary implementation of costly and non-environmentally cooling equipment.