Vulnerabilidad al calor extremo en el área urbana de la ciudad de Cuenca

Abstract

In cities, climate change has increased temperatures in urbanized areas due to the conversion of green spaces into impervious surfaces. Densely populated areas are especially vulnerable to heat, which affects the health of the population with problems such as heat stress and heat stroke. In the city of Cuenca, the need to assess vulnerability and risk to extreme heat has been identified, given the urban heat islands present. This study applied a simplified methodology that quantifies extreme heat risk and vulnerability, where several factors were considered. For hazard (A), land surface temperature (LST) was analyzed; for vulnerability (V), the adaptive capacity and sensitivity of the population was evaluated; and in the case of exposure (E), the population by census sector was analyzed. As a result, maps were generated for five different dates, showing vulnerability and hazard in the city. The areas of Totoracocha and Feria Libre presented the highest vulnerability values. In the hazard maps, the LST indicator showed high values in the historic center and its surroundings. The exposure factor revealed that the most populated areas are located in the north and east of the city of Cuenca. The extreme heat risk maps indicated that the parishes of Totoracocha, Feria Libre and Hermano Miguel have the highest risk values, while the historic district has low levels of extreme heat risk. These results can be used for urban planning or as suggestions to reduce heat risk.