Cooling
Urban Life
A governance model promoting behavior change to mitigate urban heat islands
Szeged, one of Hungary's hottest cities, has recognized the need to develop a strategy to mitigate the urban heat island effect to improve the living conditions of its residents. The Municipality of Szeged and its partners in the COOL LIFE project will research opportunities for reducing urban heat and develop tools and solutions that inform, motivate, and assist public and corporate participation in creating a cooler, more livable, and sustainable city.
Objectives
Strategy
The first step in strategy development involves identifying intervention needs by reviewing the municipality’s strategic documents, regulations, and decision-making mechanisms, as well as assessing related urban services. This leads to the creation of a heat island mitigation strategy that innovatively and multidirectionally transforms the municipal governance model, engages all stakeholders, and introduces awareness-raising and incentive elements into local government processes. In the initial phase, Szeged’s heat map will be created, and the city's public trees will be surveyed in the form of a digital tree register. Strategic documents will then be developed, including the Heat Island Mitigation Strategy (HIMS), the Guidelines for Heat Island Prevention and Mitigation (HIPaM), and COOL LIFE guidelines.
Incentivising Mechanisms
To reduce urban temperatures and improve the living conditions of city residents, changes are needed not only in public spaces and local governance mechanisms but also in motivating local businesses and residents to implement heat island reduction measures on their own properties. The project will develop several types of incentive mechanisms: setting up and organizing “Single-click” services along with related funding systems, creating “Cool Benefits” with municipal service providers, establishing a Cool Voucher system, and forming Mini-contracts with local communities and collaborators.
Demonstration
The goal of the demonstration is to showcase the possible mitigation measures presented by the HIMS and the Guidelines, and to contribute to the education and awareness of residents through these examples, so that people visiting the demonstration areas can clearly perceive the difference. The demonstration activities include: transforming the Anna-kút tram stop, collaborating with private investments on Hajnóczy Street, greening sidewalks on Kossuth Lajos Avenue, greening courtyards in educational institutions, and greening residential courtyards and facades.
Awareness raising, Knowledge sharing
The goal is to inform and educate the public and stakeholders about the heat island phenomenon and possible solutions. To this end, the project will launch an online and offline communication campaign about the heat island effect, including social media content creation, a website, and offline awareness activities. An important element of the project is educational programs in schools, as well as the establishment of a city climate roundtable. New educational methodologies will be developed, including the adaptation of the Climate Fresk game, and sensitivity workshops will be held.
Replication
Ensuring the long-term sustainability and transferability of the project's results, and reproducing the developed governance methodology in other cities by leveraging the existing national and international networks of Szeged Municipality and its partners. For this purpose, a methodological handbook of best practices will be prepared, and network building with other LIFE projects will take place.
The project is implemented within the framework of the LIFE program, the European Union's flagship environmental and climate policy program, supporting environmental and climate policy objectives.
Project Activites
Integrating the heat island mitigation strategy (HIMS) and adaptation into municipal governance and decision-making mechanisms
- Creating a heat map of Szeged's densely built areas
- Documenting Szeged's tree population and implementing Smart City solutions
- Developing guidelines for the prevention and mitigation of the heat island effect (HIPaM)
Partners
The LIFE programme is the EU's funding instrument for the environment and climate action. he Municipality of Szeged and its partners in the COOL LIFE project will research urban heat reduction possibilities and develop tools and solutions that inform, motivate, and assist public and corporate participation in creating a cooler, more livable, sustainable city.