Ratiboř Takes Action in Combating Urban Heat Islands

On 31 October 2024, a workshop on urban heat islands (UHI) was held at the Multifunctional Community Centre in Ratiboř, Czech Republic.

The workshop began with an introduction to the Be Ready project, which addresses the pressing challenge of urban heat islands. The project brings together 19 partners and 9 partner organizations from 12 countries. The extreme heatwaves of summer 2022 and this year’s floods in the region have underscored the urgent need to enhance society's preparedness and adaptive capacity to cope with climate change impacts, fostering resilience at the city level. As a pilot partner in the project, the municipality of Ratiboř is working to develop, test, and implement effective measures to combat urban heat islands.

The first part of the event featured a presentation by a representative from the Technical University of Bratislava (STUBA), the project’s scientific partner. The presentation covered the concept of urban heat islands, their effects on community life, and the methodology for assessing UHI vulnerability and risk. Climate data from Ratiboř was included to illustrate the local impact of UHI.

The second part of the workshop consisted of an interactive roundtable session. Participants were divided into groups to discuss various thematic areas based on the methodology presented earlier. Each group focused on one of the following topics:

• Exposure of buildings and surroundings

• Sensitivity of equipment and materials – assessing which materials and infrastructure are prone to overheating and identifying ways to protect them.

• Risk groups among city residents

• Preparedness and adaptive capacity of cities/municipalities

During this session, participants had the opportunity to explore measurement tools such as globe thermometers, heat meters, and meteorological sensors. Public health experts emphasized the health risks associated with UHI, highlighting this as a critical concern.

In addition to expert presentations, a productive discussion between participants and local authorities led to the development of specific recommendations for the next steps in the Be Ready project. Participants representing all sectors of the quadruple helix model—academia, authorities, the business sector, and civil society—collaborated effectively.

At the conclusion of the workshop, a coalition pact for cooperation was signed. A total of 16 key stakeholders committed to actively engaging in the project and supporting the implementation of the proposed measures.