Comparative assessment of heatwave vulnerability factors for the districts of Budapest, Hungary

Abstract

Climate change increases the magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events worldwide; therefore, cities are highly vulnerable areas as housing the majority of the global population. This study aims to analyze the heatwave vulnerability of the 23 districts of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, by applying a weighted indicator method. For this purpose, 12 indicators were collected, normalized, and finally categorized to reveal spatial heterogeneity through the selected administration units. Socio-economic variables and remote sensing data have also been involved in the study in order to point out as many aspects as possible. Generally, downtown districts have medium vulnerability due to their increased land surface temperature, higher population density and low yearly income per capita. In the case of both Pest-, and Buda-side outer districts, higher NDVI values pose them at the top of the ranking. At the same time, considerable differences can be found regarding other sensitivity and adaptive capacity values. The high ratio of elderly people with cardiovascular disease and the low number of pharmacies per 1000 people were identified as common weak points in the case of almost every district. The revealed weak points may contribute to defining those aspects where urgent and targeted adaptation actions are needed.