Courtney Schilling (p), Ana Caldeira (p)

Ana Caldeira

This article provides a systematic literature review on outdoor thermal comfort mitigation strategies in historic cities designated with UNESCO tangible and cultural world heritage. The bibliometric method was used to analyze descriptive statistics and bibliographic coupling. The emerging results being the Asian-centric nature of current literature and four clusters of mitigation strategies, including 1) Nature-based solutions; 2) Street geometry and urban planning; 3) Integrated strategies; and 4) Water-based strategies. This research helps define the current literature directions related to the theme and promotes further development for studies analyzing mitigation strategies for historic cities with rising temperatures.

Ana Caldeira (p), Courtney Schilling, Susana Silva, Rui Ferreira de Figueiredo, Albano Figueiredo , Lúcio Cunha

Amir Borges Ferreira Neto

The increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves present significant challenges for Mediterranean cities, particularly affecting urban tourism and residents' quality of life. The Cool Noons Project responds to this challenge by testing innovative heat mitigation strategies across five Mediterranean cities: Budva, Dubrovnik, Imola, Lisbon, and Marseille. This paper describes the practical application of a comprehensive methodological framework designed to assess three key aspects: cooling efficacy of urban interventions, attractiveness of cool paths and cooling interventions for tourists, and overall experience enhancement for both visitors and residents. The methodology employs diverse data collection techniques including satellite imagery, thermal cameras, weather stations, GPS tracking, and Wi-Fi-based location tracking, complemented by innovative survey approaches such as QR code-accessible questionnaires strategically placed along urban paths. Preliminary implementation experiences reveal both successes and challenges in the methodological approach. The involvement of local stakeholders through focus groups has proven essential for identifying contextually appropriate cooling solutions, while real-time ecological momentary assessment via mobile surveys and microclimatic data collection presents both opportunities and limitations for capturing authentic thermal comfort perceptions. This paper offers valuable insights for researchers and practitioners working on climate adaptation in urban tourism contexts, highlighting the importance of integrating multiple data sources and balancing technological sophistication with practical implementation constraints.

Amanda Ross, Amir Borges Ferreira Neto (p), Rushaine Goulbourne, Matthew Fannin

Dilara Aydin

FEMA aid plays a crucial role in helping localities recover from natural disasters, yet its allocation is not always determined solely by objective measures of need. While some FEMA programs are formula-based and insulated from political influence, others allow for discretion in distribution, creating opportunities for political factors to shape outcomes. This paper examines the allocation of FEMA aid following hurricanes in Florida, analyzing the extent to which political considerations influence aid distribution. Specifically, we investigate whether swing districts receive more aid, whether districts represented by members of the president’s party benefit disproportionately, and how these patterns vary across different FEMA programs. Importantly, we incorporate detailed data on hurricane wind speeds and storm paths to assess the actual damage experienced, allowing us to identify instances where aid allocation appears inconsistent with the severity of the disaster. By combining data on FEMA declarations, aid allocations, storm impact, and the political characteristics of the areas, this study provides new insights into the extent to which disaster relief funding is shaped by electoral incentives rather than objective need. Understanding these dynamics is essential for improving the fairness and effectiveness of disaster response policies.

Dilara Aydin (p), Tüzin Baycan

Courtney Schilling

The relationship between climate change and cities is complex and mutual. Cities contribute to climate change as they serve as hubs for activities such as energy production, transportation, construction, and industry, which are closely associated with high carbon emissions. On the other hand, climate change poses threats to cities through rising sea levels, extreme weather events, heatwaves, flood risks, wildfires, urban heat island effects, droughts, inadequate infrastructure, decreasing water resources, loss of green spaces, air quality issues, negative impacts on human health, and increased energy consumption. Extreme climate events, particularly in densely populated metropolitan areas, lead to substantial economic losses and social disruptions, affecting both livelihoods and infrastructure. It is essential to implement urgent action plans developed on a scientific and democratic basis to address these emerging threats. The research aims to analyse the interactions between climate change and urban development. First, district-level carbon emissions were calculated using natural gas consumption data according to the IPCC Guidelines for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Following the commitments introduced by the Paris Agreement, the greenhouse gas emissions status of Istanbul’s districts between 2016 and 2022 was analyzed using spatial statistical methods, specifically Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) and Cluster-Outlier Analysis (Anselin Local Moran's I). After analyzing the relevant climate change variable (greenhouse gas emissions), a regression analysis was conducted using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Model to examine the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The independent variables include average household size, water consumption, the average number of vehicles recorded by transportation sensors, the number of structures within basin areas, urban settled areas, agricultural land, green spaces, reserved areas, industrial zones, and forested areas. The Global Moran's I statistic was used to measure spatial autocorrelation. The 2022 data were obtained from the IMM Open Data Portal, IMM YAYSİS, the Turkish Statistical Institute and through consultations with relevant departments of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM). The OLS model and spatial statistical methods used in this study have demonstrated that the interactions between climate change and urban development parameters in Istanbul’s districts are strong and significant. The model revealed that factors such as urban density, water consumption and reserved areas have varying impacts across different districts. In this context, the recommendations presented in the study serve not only as solutions to existing problems but also as a crucial roadmap to guide Istanbul towards a more sustainable future.