Heat-related health impacts: the responses of local governments to current and emerging heat extremes in the Gauteng province
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
In recent years, particularly during the last few summer seasons across the globe, there has been growing attention to the impacts of heat on human health due to unprecedented extreme heat and heatwave events. Cities and urban areas are especially at risk due to enhanced urbanisation and anthropogenic activities, leading to increased heat-related deaths and hospitalisation. Although many cities globally have developed adaptation approaches to address the current and emerging heat risks, heat adaptation strategies and planning in an African context have been poorly recognised despite the continent warming at double the rate of global temperatures. The high vulnerability of African cities due to poverty and poor socio-economic conditions, coupled with these temperature extremes, puts
African societies at the forefront of future heat-related health impacts. South Africa is one African country that has recognised these growing heat risks and provided frameworks in their national and municipal policy and planning instruments. However, implementing and mainstreaming heat action across institutional structures remains a challenge. This study investigated the extent of current heat responses within three metropolitan municipalities in the Gauteng Province, South Africa, in the cities of Tshwane, Ekhuruleni and Johannesburg; to advance heat action within the local government and institutional structures of the province. In this mixed-methods research design, local officials from the municipality’s Environmental Health Department in each metro were interviewed, and a
perception-informed assessment of vulnerability to heat-related health impacts was developed using Principal Component Analysis. Through interviews with the local Environmental Health Officials, it was revealed that extreme heat is not a priority within the Department, as heat action is neither mandated nor budgeted for, leading to a misalignment between policy and implementation. The ability of the Department to unlock its full potential for heat action is constrained by many challenges, highlighted by three central themes: (1) Resource capacity and the ripple effects, (2) Policy-implementation gap and (3) Interdepartmental coordination. Despite this, the Department has the potential to unlock many opportunities for future heat responses, highlighted by four central themes: (1) Existing systems: connecting the dots, (2) Power in unity: embracing a collaborative approach, (3) Mandated heat action and (4) Specialised heat action units. Additionally, this study demonstrated how a heat vulnerability assessment tool could be created using heat-specific socio-economic variables. This reveals the spatial distribution of vulnerability throughout the metro’s and highlights high levels of vulnerability within rural and informal settlements due to poverty, lack of access to resources and services and poor living conditions in these areas. Such an approach can offer valuable insights into the populations and areas most susceptible and at risk of heat-related health impacts, which can aid in developing targeted heat action responses and plans. Finally, this study contributes
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Dissertation to the Faculty of Science, , School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024
Keywords
Heat, Heat action, Heat vulnerability, Climate change, UCTD
Citation
Riley, Bradley. (2024). Heat-related health impacts: the responses of local governments to current and emerging heat extremes in the Gauteng province [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/42045