Heat stress in informal settlements: complex solutions for a multifaceted problem

Heat stress is a well-known climate change-affected risk that typically impacts the most vulnerable sectors of our society. While its climate change correlation is well defined, drivers of heat stress exposure and mitigation measures to address it are complex - especially in informal settlements. This paper will unpack the heat stress-related vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity of inhabitants living in a South African informal settlement, highlighting the internal drivers that increase the inhabitants’ exposure to and limit any structural and behavioural response measures on dwelling and urban levels. As part of larger interdisciplinary projects, this paper conveys an analysis of triangulated findings from mixed methods studies that considered the informal urban structure, user perspectives of their heat stress exposure and adaptive capacity, along with empirical data on heat stress exposure under current climate conditions. Reflecting on the findings of the adaptative capacity, and resource and skills availability of the Melusi informal settlement, located in Tshwane, South Africa, the study reveals that even though the indoor environments typically expose users to high heat stress conditions, the adaptive response measures and the lack of available public space result in limited local response capacity. This highlights heat stress as a complex problem requiring integrated community or urban level response measures. The paper contributes to the climate change adaptation discourse and its implementation within informal settlements by specifically highlighting potential approaches to developing extensive, multi-faceted heat stress infrastructure networks.