Heatwaves and vulnerable populations: Mapping their needs in The Hague

The final report on the heatwaves research project in The Hague is available now!
The findings showed that senior citizens do not use relatively simple solutions to keep themselves cool (e.g., wet towel) as frequently as expected. However, over 80% of respondents were concerned about the cost of cooling and how they can cool themselves. Three solutions –sunscreens, air conditioning, and green roofs - are highly ranked as options that the respondents would like to implement in their (communal) living space, but they face high costs and institutional barriers. The study also highlighted the role of (in)formal networks and housing corporations in reducing the vulnerability of senior citizens and increasing access to and knowledge of effective cooling solutions.

The main policy recommendations directed at the municipality of The Hague centre around how to increase ownership of heat as an urban resilience problem that cuts across several policy domains, and how to further develop its Local Heat Plan. The detailed findings and policy recommendations can be found in the final report.

 

Heatwaves The Hague Final Report 2022

 

The research was funded by the municipality of The Hague and implemented as a cooperation between (and with co-funding from) the Centre of Expertise Global Governance, the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS, Erasmus University Rotterdam) and the International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities). It was implemented between March 1st  and December 31st , 2021.

The project generated several outputs besides the main report, including an NRC op-ed article, a blog post, and a conference paper, and more are in the pipeline. They will be posted on this website as soon as they are available

Based on this promising experience and the network with a variety of relevant stakeholders that was developed as part of this project, the Centre of Expertise on Global Governance is currently working on further grant applications for practice-oriented research projects in order to tackle the issue of heatwaves in other cities, and at the national, European, and global levels.

If you are interested to join us to develop project ideas and grant proposals, please contact the project leader and senior researcher, Dr. Sylvia I. Bergh at s.i.bergh@hhs.nl.

Research Team

Main researchers

  • Dr. Sylvia Bergh: Principal Investigator. Senior Researcher (The Hague University of Applied Sciences) and Associate Professor in Development Management and Governance (International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam).
  • Ashley Richard Longman, MSc: Researcher and Project Coordinator (The Hague University of Applied Sciences)
  • Dr. Erwin van Tuijl: Postdoctoral Researcher (The International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam and The International Centre for Frugal Innovation, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities)

Student Assistants

  • Frédérique Kwantes: International and European Law (LLB), The Hague University of Applied Sciences
  • Mark Prins: Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling - Climate & Management (BASc), The Hague University of Applied Sciences
  • Phillipa Purrio: Safety and Security Management Studies (BA), The Hague University of Applied Sciences
  • Delilah van Tol: International Law (LLB), The Hague University of Applied Sciences

Advisory Board

  • Prof. Thea Hilhorst: Professor of Humanitarian Studies, The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Prof. Peter Knorringa: Director of the International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI) and Professor of Private Sector & Development, The International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Dr. Jan Fransen: Researcher at the International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI) and Deputy Director, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam