The third session of the TERRA Viva debate series – Dialogues for Public Policy: “Survival Kit: The impact of heat waves on human health” is now available.
The third and final debate in the first cycle of “TERRA Viva – Diálogos para Políticas Públicas” (TERRA Viva debates – Dialogues for Public Policy) reinforces the importance of linking science and public policy to respond to the impact of heat waves, one of the most urgent climate challenges for human health.
The TERRA Associate Laboratory has launched the third and final session of the first cycle of “TERRA Viva – Diálogos para Políticas Públicas” (TERRA Viva debates – Dialogues for Public Policy) on YouTube and Spotify, dedicated to the theme “Survival Kit: The impact of heat waves on human health.” This conversation concludes a series of reflections that has placed some of the most urgent challenges associated with climate change and its direct implications for people’s lives at the center of the public agenda.
The session was moderated by Paulo Nogueira, a researcher at the Instituto de Saúde Ambiental (ISAMB) and member of TERRA, who has been studying heat waves and their impacts for three decades. Other participants included TERRA members Fátima Alves, a researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE) and specialist in environmental sustainability, social ecology, and intercultural relations, and António Lopes, a researcher at the Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG), recognized for his work in urban climatology, heat islands, and climate planning.
The debate highlighted the growing vulnerability of urban areas to heat waves, with Fátima Alves emphasizing that “heat kills” and drawing attention to the “geography of vulnerability,” noting that densely populated areas exposed to urban heat islands are unprepared. “It is inevitable to talk about housing conditions and the inequalities of these housing conditions, which will also contribute to certain social groups being the most vulnerable and some geographical areas also being vulnerable,” said the researcher.
In his speech, António Lopes mentioned a study that ranks Lisbon as the 7th most heat-vulnerable European capital, warning that “people in cities are more at risk because of urban heat islands” and emphasizing the incalculable value of trees and ventilation corridors in mitigating these effects.
Moderator Paulo Nogueira warned that “things are happening quietly, without people knowing how to respond. That is why this survival kit is so important.” The importance of preparing cities was further emphasized by António Lopes, who stated: “We need to monitor the environment, monitor the most densely populated areas, and study the locations. Cities have to prepare. This requires a comprehensive plan and an integrated vision of the entire chain of action.”
The session is now available on video on the official YouTube channel and in podcast format on Spotify.
Watch the video (in Portuguese):
Listen to the podcast (in Portuguese):
Launched by TERRA, the “TERRA Viva – Diálogos para Políticas Públicas” debate series has established itself as an ongoing forum for dialogue between scientific research and public policy formulation, promoting an integrated vision for the future of the planet and humanity.
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