First Working Meeting under the HEATSAFE Project – Adapting to Extreme Heat

The project HEATSAFE (Holistic EnvironmenTAl and Social Adaptation Framework for Extreme heat) directly tackles the need to adapt against climate change adverse effects in the whole Mediterranean area. The intensity of heatwaves is amplified in urban areas by factors such as the configuration of the city, the lack of vegetation or the materials of urbanized surfaces, so the strategy to mitigate their effects must be designed specifically for each territory.

Sociodemographic conditions must also be considered, as significant correlation between exposure to extreme heat and socioeconomic vulnerability has been shown, leading to nearly double the mortality risk in some deprived districts. This local complex planning cannot be addressed without a clear methodology. 

In this sense, HEATSAFE will address the most suitable ways to adapt these territories to these effects by developing key activities in Spain, Italy. Albania, Bulgaria and Greece, and with the aim of replicating project approach in the whole Mediterranean area. HEATSAFE will improve the prevention, mitigation and management of risks arising from increased frequency and intensity of extreme heat and heatwaves in the Mediterranean basin through the co-development of local action plans and the implementation of demonstrative pilot actions; complemented by a long-term strategy and open-source tools to establish heat vulnerability maps across the MED area.

The project will produce several outputs to achieve project objectives:

• Decision-making tool for policymakers to evaluate and prioritize heatwaves measures based on impact, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness.
• Governance structures for effective heatwaves management, including stakeholder mapping and engagement strategies, benefiting six Mediterranean regions.
• Local Action Plans in six pilot partners and five EU countries for heatwaves preparedness, response, communication, and recovery, aiding local authorities and communities.
• Testing activities in six Mediterranean areas will implement and evaluate solutions, resulting in a protocol for best practices to mitigate heatwaves which will benefit not only project partners, but the whole MED area through transferring and replication activities.
• Аn improved heatwaves planning and management strategy for the Mediterranean basin so the project approach can be adopted by other areas.

HEATSAFE will adopt a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach that integrates urban planning, public health, social equity, and environmental sustainability to develop and test methodologies and solutions for preventing heatwave risks in the Mediterranean urban context. The methodology is built upon 4 main ideas:

• Develop a heat vulnerability map for each project area, incorporating both physical and socioeconomic indicators, to inform action planning.
• Create new multi-level governance structures to ensure community engagement and participatory decision-making for contextually appropriate solutions.
• Test interventions based on cutting-edge research and best practices, focusing on climate shelters, immediate response solutions, and awareness-raising measures.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to build capacity, foster innovation, and facilitate knowledge exchange.

The proposed methodology will be tested in various European municipalities to validate its effectiveness and suggest improvements transferable to other Mediterranean areas. Implementing pilot actions in different countries will be crucial for comparing results and understanding local circumstances, enabling the sharing of findings and methodologies to maximise impact. The project will pool resources, share expertise among various actors, and align policies. Collaboration will help regions address challenges more effectively, enabling project results to be upscaled across the entire Mediterranean basin.

HEATSAFE's innovation lies in its direct approach to the complex, interconnected challenges that climate change presents in the Mediterranean region, utilising a comprehensive and interdisciplinary strategy. By incorporating socioeconomic factors into heat vulnerability maps, it exceeds current practices to deliver tailored solutions that address heatwave impacts and prioritise the most at-risk groups. HEATSAFE emphasises community engagement and participatory decision-making, establishing new governance structures that integrate urban planning, public health, social equity, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, HEATSAFE utilises cutting-edge research and best practices in its interventions while encouraging collaboration among diverse stakeholders to enhance capacity and facilitate knowledge exchange. This multi-faceted strategy not only effectively mitigates heatwave risks but also creates a replicable and scalable model for the entire Mediterranean region.

Partners: LP: Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, Spain  PP2: EuroVértice Consultants, Spain  PP3: Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Spain PP4: Municipality of Agii Anargiri – Kamatero, PP5: Association of South-Western Municipalities, PP6: Regional Council Durres, Albania PP7: Municipality of Arezzo,Italy PP8: National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece PP9:Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change Foundation, Italy 

Associated partners to ASWM: 1) Municipality of Blagoevgrad 2) Regional Administration Blagoevgrad

Donor: Interreg Euro Mediterranean VI B 2021-2027

Programme priority: 2 - Greener MED

Specific objective: RSO2.4 - Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

Budget: 2.413.791,40 EURO

Duration: 33 months (01-04-2025 - 23-12-2027)

Project website: https://heatsafe.interreg-euro-med.eu/