STUDY: How the heatwave affects the population of Bucharest and what solutions local authorities can adopt

The impact of extreme temperatures is felt unequally among the urban population. A study launched by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Romania shows that outdoor workers, homeless people, or those living in precarious conditions are much more exposed to the risks caused by heat waves.

For the middle class, there are many more possibilities to reduce the impact of global warming on quality of life: using air conditioners, working in spaces with controlled ventilation, purchasing textiles suitable for extreme weather conditions, etc. In contrast, vulnerable people are more affected because they often do unskilled work in poorly ventilated spaces or outdoors, but also because of limited financial resources, which prevent them from reducing the discomfort caused by heat waves or violent weather phenomena.

Although authorities have taken some measures to adapt to climate change, such as developing strategies to reduce pollution, expanding green spaces, and developing water bodies, current policies do not take into account the specific needs of vulnerable groups.

The interviews conducted for this study with delivery workers, sanitation and construction workers, as well as homeless people or those living in informal settlements in Bucharest, reveal realities that are ignored by current public policies. For example, delivery workers who work through digital platforms without employment contracts do not benefit from legal protection during red alert heat waves. At the same time, people living in informal shelters, without access to running water and electricity, cannot follow official recommendations such as “stay indoors” or “stay hydrated”.

The authors of the study recommend that local public authorities include energy security and access to water for all people, especially those in situations of deep vulnerability, as part of their climate change resilience and adaptation policies. At the same time, they draw attention to the need to identify groups that could be affected by gentrification in the context of urban regeneration or green and blue space improvement projects.

To protect the entire urban population of Bucharest from the effects of heat waves, authorities should adopt a set of integrated measures, including: implementing nature-based solutions to combat the urban heat island effect, reducing concrete and asphalt surfaces where feasible, better use of water bodies (the Dâmbovița River and the chain of lakes), designing green spaces from a climate perspective rather than just for leisure, adapting public infrastructure to extreme weather conditions (e.g., covered bus stops, shaded areas at traffic lights, etc.), expanding the public network of drinking fountains, and others. With regard to buildings, it is recommended to apply energy efficiency solutions, including the use of heat-reflective materials, the installation of green roofs, and the promotion of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The authors also highlight the need for a shift in how local public authorities deal with the climate crisis. Its effects should be seen not just as environmental issues, but also as public health and social justice issues, which should be systematically integrated into urban planning.

The study "Bucharest under heatwave. The impact of the climate crisis on the urban population, especially on vulnerable people" was conducted by Irina Zamfirescu (sociologist), Sorin Cheval, and Alexandru Dumitrescu (climatologists) and is available online at: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bukarest/22266.pdf

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