Those who are most affected are those who live in areas with a lot of concrete and little greenery," says study author Lennart Vogelsang. The junior researcher in the "Climate Change Graz" doctoral programme conducted the analysis using New York as an example. The US metropolis has taken measures to reduce temperatures in heated districts. "Shady parks and avenues are being enlarged, cooling water features are being built and river areas are being made more natural and liveable. "Apartments in these districts are demonstrably cooler with such measures, but at the same time more expensive due to the attractiveness," Vogelsang confirms.
Green Gentrification
The consequence: "Poorer population groups are forced to move to areas with cheaper rents but higher temperatures," the climate economist describes. And thus suffer more from the heat. This in turn goes hand in hand with secondary diseases such as cardiovascular problems. "Green gentrification" is the technical term for this phenomenon. "An aspect that has been given far too little consideration in urban planning," Vogelsang complains.
Urban heat islands
The challenge, according to the scientist, is to achieve the much-needed cooling in urban heat islands without displacing less affluent populations. This would require a carefully coordinated interplay of urban planning, climate protection and social justice. Lennart Vogelsang thinks of targeted supports: "These should mitigate negative impacts of heat mitigation measures that simultaneously lead to rising rents. Such steps could include, for example, rent caps in gentrified areas, special programmes for low-income families or strategies to preserve affordable housing."
The situation in the US is comparable to major European cities, Lennart Vogelsang points to previous studies, including by Chakraborty, T., Hsu, A., Manya, D. & Sherif, G. (2019). Disproportionately higher exposure to urban heat in lower-income neighborhoods: A multi-city perspective. Environmental Research Letters 14, 105003