Cooling the City: Varaždin’s Collaborative Effort to Combat Urban Heat Islands

Amid the historic walls of Herzer Palace, a diverse team of local stakeholders gathered in Varaždin to tackle one of urban planning’s hottest topics: the impact of urban heat islands on our cities. The event was part of the series of local workshops conducted throughout the Be Ready project. It brought together around twenty stakeholders from various fields, who collaborated to deepen their understanding of the specific challenges this phenomenon poses to the City of Varaždin.

The aim was to provide participants with an in-depth insight into the methodology for UHI risk and vulnerability assessment, created within the project, and adapt it to local conditions. Representative of the research partner UIRS presented the methodology and answered the numerous questions of the audience. Through constructive discussions and collaborative efforts, participants identified key areas for improvement and developed particular proposals to enhance the application of the methodology in a real urban environment. Special attention was paid to the specific characteristics of Varaždin, ensuring a stronger foundation for long-term mitigation of the effects of urban heat islands.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the productivity of the workshop, highlighting the importance of such events in enhancing collaboration between different sectors and fostering innovative solutions for the challenges faced by cities in the era of climate change.

The City of Varaždin represented by Development Agency North, continues with the implementation of project activities within the BeReady project, aiming to strengthen the resilience of local communities and create more sustainable urban spaces.