Cities need to start creating climate shelters that serve all members of society, especially those most affected by climate change.
As climate impacts intensify, cities around the world are recognizing the urgent need to create climate shelters: spaces in public buildings or outdoors that offer thermal comfort during periods of extreme temperatures. But climate shelters are more than just a roof over someone’s head.
In this policy brief, available in Spanish and English, our researcher Ana Terra Amorim-Maia lays out a series of recommendations on how to create climate shelters that are both effective and inclusive. Based on a comprehensive study conducted in La Prosperitat neighborhood in Barcelona, it is focused on the intersectional vulnerabilities of marginalized populations, who most often suffer the effects of climate change. The guidelines are aimed at policymakers in Barcelona but serve local officials in cities facing similar challenges.
