Samenvatting

Cool Cities Middelburg Local Context Summary Memo The Local Context Summary Memo (LCSM) supports the municipality of Arnhem in advancing its urban heat adaptation efforts. It is part of the Cool Cities project, an EU Interreg North Sea Region initiative involving seven case study cities that test innovative, transferable methods for understanding and addressing urban heat risks. The project bridges research and practice by developing practical tools that cities can apply in their own contexts. For more information, see Cool Cities project and partners. This memo is the main output for Work Package (WP) 1.1, led by the Climate Resilient City research group at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). It helps practitioners answer a central question: What are the local contexts, risks, and opportunities when developing a Cool Network? The analysis identifies where heat risks are highest, who is most exposed, and how planning conditions influence the city’s ability to act. It combines spatial data, policy review, and local input to reflect both technical evidence and lived experience. This is not a consultancy product, but a research-based output that combines a review of the current state-of-the-art with scientific analysis and co-creation. Input and validation from partner cities were used to refine the methods and ensure their practical relevance. The LCSM builds on recognised frameworks such as the IPCC Risk Framework and the Vulnerability Sourcebook (Fritzsche et al., 2014). The IPCC defines climate risk as a function of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability: hazards are potentially harmful events such as floods or heatwaves; exposure reflects the degree to which people, infrastructure, and systems are at risk; and vulnerability describes the susceptibility of communities to harm due to social and economic factors (IPCC, 2014; IPCC, 2022). While the Vulnerability Sourcebook provides a structured method for assessing these components, it was originally designed for the Global South and not directly suited to Western European cities. To address this gap, research by Maragno et al. (2020) and Ellena et al. (2023) adapted the Vulnerability Sourcebook methodology for European contexts through grid-based approaches and indicator frameworks for hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. However, these efforts remained primarily analytical and were not co-created with local stakeholders, which limited their practical uptake. Cool Cities builds on these advances by combining spatial analysis with iterative, co-creative validation to ensure methods are both scientifically robust and grounded in local realities. Building on this research, the Cool Cities Heat Risk Index (HRI) developed in this project is a central reference throughout the LCSM. The HRI integrates spatial data on hazard, exposure, and vulnerability into a single composite indicator, offering a practical, location-based measure of urban heat risk. Its methodology is based on the frameworks of Ellena et al. (2023), Maragno et al. (2020), and the Vulnerability Sourcebook (Fritzsche et al., 2014), but it has been adapted and tested for use in eight partner cities. The HRI reflects both technical analysis and stakeholder validation and is designed for practical use in planning and prioritisation. While this introduction provides a high-level overview, further details about the HRI can be found in the Looking Ahead section and on the Heat Risk page. Throughout the LCSM, the HRI will be referenced as a cross-cutting indicator supporting decision-making; readers are encouraged to consult these sections for a deeper explanation of its structure, rationale, and application. Partner cities differ in their progress on heat adaptation. The LCSM provides a shared baseline using accessible, comparable indicators, supporting cities at different stages of adaptation with a practical and adaptable framework for analysis and planning. The LCSM is structured around five topics and supported by guiding research questions developed through literature review and input from partner cities. These questions, central to WP1, help cities understand their local context, set priorities, and make informed decisions. They guide the content and analysis of the LCSM and serve as prompts for reflection rather than checklists. After the project, they can also be used by other cities to strengthen their own heat resilience planning. The five topics reflect key building blocks of equitable urban adaptation: -Heat- stressed people & places – identifies where heat stress is the highest and which public spaces, functions, and slow-traffic routes are most exposed. You will find a series of maps to explore this theme. -Vulnerable groups & areas – highlights social and economic vulnerabilities to ensure adaptation efforts reach those most at risk. You will find a series of maps to explore this theme. -Heat adaptation goals – explores existing or needed goals that link cooling to broader ambitions for health, inclusion, and sustainability. -Stakeholder involvement & communication – focuses on participation, engagement, and collaboration across departments and communities. -Governance & implementation – examines policies, planning systems, and institutional conditions shaping adaptation action. The findings from the LCSM form the basis for the next two activities in the Cool Cities project: the Cool Network Plan (CNP), which sets a long-term, citywide vision for a connected cool network, and the Local Action Programme (LAP), which translates that vision into specific project locations, actions, and partnerships. The section Looking ahead to the CNP & LAP presents the Heat Risk Index (HRI), which combines these indicators and contextual insights to guide prioritisation of adaptation actions.