Urban areas are increasingly affected by climate change risks, such as urban heat islands and urban flooding. Those can have serious impacts: Heat stress can be life-threatening, while floods can trigger disease outbreaks. With growing urban populations, an increasing number of citizens will be exposed to such risks. At the same time, citizens play a central role in adaptation to climate change, thereby reducing their exposure to these impacts. Yet, to foster effective adaptation, it is essential to take stock of how citizens perceive such climate risks in cities.
This presentation will introduce findings from a systematic map of empirical research on citizens' perceptions of climate risks in cities worldwide. It will examine how, with whom, when, and where their perceptions of various climate risks have been studied: This includes the composition and location of the samples studied. It will also provide an overview of climate risks examined and thus allow identifying research gaps with respect to climate risks occurring globally in cities.
I will also present findings from a systematic review of an article subset, including samples located within climate zone Cfb (temperate climate, no dry season, warm summer), according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification map (https://koppen.earth/). I will describe (1) citizens' perceptions of different climate risks in cities within this zone, (2) the individual characteristics that link to their perceptions, and (3) contextual factors associated with these perceptions. The review seeks to highlight patterns of risk perceptions across geographic areas and demographic groups. These insights will be critical for designing strategies that strengthen citizen adaptation in cities that lie within the same climate zone.
This review is part of the CIT work package of the Urban Climate Future Lab (https://urbanclimatefuturelab.de/), which investigates citizens' narratives of climate risks in urban areas.