Local heat plan in municipality of Rotterdam

During periods of extreme heat, who will be taking what action and when? How is collaboration between public health, local healthcare, and volunteer aid working out? GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond community health service is looking for answers to the above and other questions.

Project objective

A key objective of this project is developing efficient collaboration between public health bodies, local healthcare facilities, and volunteer aid providers during periods of heat. Other objectives are: raising awareness of climate adaptation and disseminating knowledge on local heat plans and on collaboration.

Implementation

Rotterdam will have a (neighbourhood-level or area-level) heat plan for acute periods of heat. The heat plans will be drawn up under the “Rotterdams Weerwoord” climate adaptation programme (2019-2026). Furthermore, GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond will be formulating preventative measures to minimise the impact of heat on human health.

The first stage of this project will involve the following neighbourhood-level and urban level activities:

• Drawing up local analyses of such issues as heat stress, living comfort, amenities, and cool spots;
• Building up a local network;
• Seeking linkage with related issues in Rotterdam;
• Developing and harnessing means of communication;
• Drawing up, implementing, and adjusting local heat plans;
• Sharing know-how with other municipalities.

Results

• For the elderly, a heat wave is especially tough. Theatre company Ouwe Rotten's performance Heet hè! playfully teaches the elderly to cope better with heat. The performance was brought on stage more than ten times in the summer of 2023 in the municipality of Rotterdam.