| dc.description.abstract | With the changing climate, extreme heat will happen more often. To mitigate the effects of this heat, climate adaptation is necessary. This research aims to create a holistic overview of the barriers and facilitators for individual climate adaptive actions to mitigate the effects of heat in an urban context. Research on climate adaptation right now is divided into two strands. One strand focuses on adaptive capacity, or the structural factors enabling adaptation, the other strand focuses on the psychological factors that determine whether someone chooses to adapt. This research uses the COM-B model to combine both strands to create a comprehensive view of adaptation. The research focuses on Katendrecht, a district in Rotterdam. To answer the research question, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents of Katendrecht.
The results were categorized into six main themes: cool spaces outside the house, the house itself, possible measures, choices for measures, measures taken, and heat stress. Both psychological factors and factors from adaptive capacity research come back in the themes. All components of the COM-B model are represented in the themes. Opportunity was the component that was mentioned most often during the interviews and seen as most important. Especially the financial capital and built quality of the house determined whether people took and could take adaptive action. These results have policy implications. Since opportunity was seen as the most important determinant of adaptive behaviour, policies should focus on enablement, legislation, and environmental restructuring to ensure everyone has an opportunity for coolth. | |
