MITIGATING HEATWAVES IMPACT IN THE URBAN AREAS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Planet earth is likely to experience unprecedented extreme weather events with significant increase in magnitude and length owing to climate change. Worst of these is the heatwaves which have claimed millions of lives worldwide. This rise in temperature will exceed habitable level especially in South Asia by the end of this Century. Studies suggest the urbanites will be affected more by the heatwaves as compared to rural residents. This study aims to understand the heatwave vulnerability of the residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi at micro level by use of the concept of local climate zones. Four different climate zones were selected and a total of 500 interviews were conducted in the case study areas. Heatwave risk perception of the residents of the case study areas was also studied. In addition to that adaptive strategies and Coping capacities of subject population was also discussed. It was found out that people living in compact low-rise development was most vulnerable of all. The residents of open low rise were least vulnerable due to their high capacity towards heatwaves. Risk perception of all the case study area were almost similar.