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Be Ready: Local Methodological Workshop on the Emergence of Urban Heat Islands
The Science and Technology Park Niš participated in a workshop dedicated to urban heat islands and the methodology for assessing vulnerability and risks caused by this phenomenon, organized as part of the EU project Be Ready (UrBan hEat islands REsilience, prepAreDness and mitigation strategY). At the event, STP Niš was represented by Milan Krstev, an associate on the project, who joined partners and experts from the region dedicated to jointly solving the challenges of climate change. He presented the methodology for assessing the vulnerability and risk of the emergence of urban heat islands and emphasized the importance of the presence of many actors, because this complex problem requires broad cooperation.
Krstev pointed out that “The availability of data is key, because Podgorica has the task of assessing the risk of heat islands, which is only possible with the support and data of various organizations and institutions”, and added that the awareness of the phenomenon and existence of heat islands varies between countries, and that it is not only urban cores that are susceptible, but also other areas without green infrastructure. This methodology not only enables risk assessment, but also provides tools for planning measures to mitigate the impact of these phenomena on the local population and the environment.
The aim of the workshop was to establish a platform for knowledge exchange on models for analyzing and monitoring the impact of urban heat islands, including assessment of possible scenarios and policy guidance. This way, participating countries can collectively contribute to mitigating the negative effects of climate change.
The project coordinator, Branka Knežević, emphasized the importance of the Be Ready project in raising the awareness of cities about the heat island phenomenon, as well as in strengthening their readiness to respond to these challenges. “The main goal of the project is to provide cities with instruments and tools to reduce the heat island effect. Risk assessment is the first step, and we hired experts for support in the implementation of this assessment”, Knežević stressed.
In addition, the workshop emphasized the importance of international cooperation through projects like this one, as well as through European missions, including the Mission of 100 climate neutral cities by 2030. At the workshop, the importance of greening, development of alternative modes of transportation, protection of urban areas, and implementation of pilot projects to mitigate the effect of heat islands was emphasized.
The Be Ready project is supported through the Regional Cooperation Program in the Danube Region and co-financed by the European Union. The implementation of the project began on January 1 of this year, while the leading partner is the City of Sofia Development Association from Bulgaria. Partners from cities across the region, including Niš, are developing action plans that include innovative spatial planning, improving regulations, developing awareness and implementing infrastructure measures to mitigate the consequences of climate change.
