The trend of heat-related mortality in Spain
Read access available from
2024-10-01
Date
2022Version
Acceso embargado / Sarbidea bahitua dago
Type
Capítulo de libro / Liburuen kapitulua
Version
Versión aceptada / Onetsi den bertsioa
Impact
|
10.1007/978-981-19-4707-0_16
Abstract
Rapid urbanization, increasing and aging population combined with rising temperatures
and extreme weather events present severe worldwide challenges for the near future.
Spain is not an exception; characterized by one of the highest life expectancies in Europe
and a very high urban density in its cities. Moreover, its diverse climate, ranging from
arid to wet, hot, and cold regions, is affect ...
[++]
Rapid urbanization, increasing and aging population combined with rising temperatures
and extreme weather events present severe worldwide challenges for the near future.
Spain is not an exception; characterized by one of the highest life expectancies in Europe
and a very high urban density in its cities. Moreover, its diverse climate, ranging from
arid to wet, hot, and cold regions, is affected by heatwaves during the summertime.
Increases in temperatures require physiological adaptation and can be a health burden.
People suffering from obesity, respiratory, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, or renal
failures have greater difficulty adapting to heat events. Moreover, the Spanish built
environment presents some overheating challenges, as half of its building stock was
constructed before 1980. Green infrastructure enhances the urban climate and thermal
comfort; however, the distribution of green areas in Spain is insufficient.
This chapter presents the current trends of heat-related mortality in Spain, summarizing
the most relevant findings in research. A total of 27 published papers on heat-related
mortality are reviewed and discussed. Additionally, data on heatwaves and mortality due
to excess heat are presented. Current mitigation techniques, such as implementing heathealth prevention plans and other solutions, are discussed to establish systems to cope
with heatwaves and to improve the quality of life of the Spanish population. However,
more research with standardized procedures is needed. Furthermore, we need to
quantify the effectiveness of the already implemented strategies to determine the most
suitable for every Spanish climate and city condition. [--]
Subject
Urban overheating,
Heatwaves,
Spain,
Heat-related deaths,
Co-morbidity,
Mitigation strategies
Publisher
Springer Nature
Published in
Aghamohammadi, N. & Santamouris, M. (Eds.) (2022). Urban overheating: Heat mitigation and the impact on health. Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 321-341, 978-981-19-4707-0
Departament
Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Ingeniería /
Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Ingeniaritza Saila