Researchers at Ecologic Institute have developed a new tool to help governments to produce socially just climate adaptation strategies. The Just2Adapt tool allows the user to analyse the justice dimensions of Heat Action Plans at the strategic level as well as at the level of individual measures. It is important that heat adaptation strategies integrate social justice considerations because of the unequal way in which the heat-health effects of climate change are distributed across the population.

Why Are Social Justice Considerations Essential for Heat Adaptation?

Many intersecting factors affect the health risks posed by increasing heat extremes. Age, gender, existing health status, mobility, social networks, income, living and working conditions all have an influence on our experience of warming conditions. To be effective, adaptation interventions must take these differences into account. The effectiveness of Heat Action Plans is an increasing priority in Europe, where warming conditions can produce or worsen health conditions, increasing the public burden of disease. Severe heat stress can also have fatal consequences. Nine out of ten deaths from extreme weather events in Europe are caused by heat and in Germany, heat stress accounted for around 2,500 additional deaths in 2025 (EEA 2024; RKI 2025).

Just2Adapt: A New Tool for Socially Just Climate Adaptation in Europe

The Just2Adapt tool was trialled with the regional government in the Federal State of Bremen and is being rolled out to other regions and cities in Europe and beyond. The work was led by Katriona McGlade and Jenny Tröltzsch as part of the ACCREU project. The analysis has identified examples of good practice in Heat Action Plans as well as gaps in how they address the social justice dimensions of heat impacts on health. 

Bremen's Heat Action Plan: Mapping Heat Risks and Social Vulnerability

For instance, Bremen conducted a spatial mapping to understand where urban heat island effects intersect with the location of socially vulnerable populations. The Bremen Heat Action Plan clearly considers these differential experiences in the communication and management of extreme heat events. However, social justice concerns are not yet clearly integrated into urban planning or the monitoring and evaluation of heat adaptation measures.

Urban Greening, Climate Adaptation and the Risk of Green Gentrification

Integrating social justice in urban planning is an important consideration in measures to improve cooling in cities. Planting trees or greening building facades and roofs can provide a range of ecosystem services to city dwellers. However, we must pay attention to which neighbourhoods and population groups are benefitting. If not, there is a risk of interventions exacerbating inequalities and producing exclusionary forms of ‘green gentrification’. 

Supporting Policymakers in Developing Equitable Heat Action Plans

The European Environment Agency has identified the development of heat-health adaptation plans as an urgent priority for Europe. The new Just2Adapt tool provides important support to policy makers and implementing agencies to ensure that no one is left behind by strategies to tackle the effects of extreme heat.