The Open University of Catalonia (UOC) has published research highlighting an often-overlooked aspect of urban policy: the role of access to safe water as a vital tool for households to adapt to extreme heat amid the climate crisis. The study argues that water security is not universally available in the global north, and this disparity translates into unequal abilities to shield oneself from high temperatures.
The research, published in the open-access journal npj Urban Sustainability (Nature group), is led by Hug March, principal investigator and co-director of TURBA Lab (UOC-TRÀNSIC), alongside researchers from King's College London and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
March emphasizes that water is an essential but under-recognized resource for helping households adapt to extreme heat, particularly for those who cannot afford air conditioning. "Water is not just important for hydration; it also helps cool the body," he says. "For the most socioeconomically vulnerable groups, access to water is their 'air conditioning,' serving as a critical mechanism for thermal relief."
The study also introduces the concept of "systemic cooling poverty," a condition affecting low-income households, where limited financial resources restrict the use of cooling systems like air conditioning. As a result, these households must rely on water to manage heat. However, economic pressures can force these households to limit water consumption, prioritizing savings over thermal comfort. March points out, "Financial strain forces vulnerable households to reduce their water use, such as by taking shorter showers, compromising their ability to cool down."
The researcher concludes that “ignoring water security can compromise the adaptation to extreme heat by the most socio-economically vulnerable groups and further deepen social and spatial inequalities in cities.”
The researchers argue that neglecting water security could undermine efforts to protect vulnerable groups from extreme heat, exacerbating social and spatial inequalities in cities. They advocate for integrating water security into urban policies as part of a broader "thermal justice agenda," aimed at addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the most at-risk urban populations. "Without safe, affordable, and reliable water, the ability to adapt to extreme heat is severely compromised, deepening existing inequalities," the study concludes.
