Vulnerability of Australia to heatwaves: A systematic review on influencing factors, impacts, and mitigation options

Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani Adnan; Ashraf Dewan; Dirk Botje; Shamsuddin Shahid; Quazi K Hassan

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113703

Vulnerability of Australia to heatwaves: A systematic review on influencing factors, impacts, and mitigation options

Environ Res. 2022 Oct:213:113703. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113703. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Authors

Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani Adnan¹, Ashraf Dewan², Dirk Botje², Shamsuddin Shahid³, Quazi K Hassan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Chittagong, 4319, Bangladesh; Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sarfarazadnan@cuet.ac.bd.
² School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia.
³ Department of Hydraulics & Hydrology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.

PMID: 35716815
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113703

Abstract

Background: Heatwaves have received major attention globally due to their detrimental effects on human health and the environment. The frequency, duration, and severity of heatwaves have increased recently due to changes in climatic conditions, anthropogenic forcing, and rapid urbanization. Australia is highly vulnerable to this hazard. Although there have been an increasing number of studies conducted in Australia related to the heatwave phenomena, a systematic review of heatwave vulnerability has rarely been reported in the literature.

Objectives: This study aims to provide a systematic and overarching review of the different components of heatwave vulnerability (e.g., exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity) in Australia.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA protocol. Peer-reviewed English language articles published between January 2000 and December 2021 were selected using a combination of search keywords in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Articles were critically analyzed based on three specific heatwave vulnerability components: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.

Results and discussion: A total of 107 articles meeting all search criteria were chosen. Although there has been an increasing trend of heat-related studies in Australia, most of these studies have concentrated on exposure and adaptive capacity components. Evidence suggests that the frequency, severity, and duration of heatwaves in Australian cities has been increasing, and that this is likely to continue under current climate change scenarios. This study noted that heatwave vulnerability is associated with geographical and climatic factors, space, time, socioeconomic and demographic factors, as well as the physiological condition of people. Various heat mitigation and adaptation measures implemented around the globe have proven to be efficient in reducing the impacts of heatwaves.

Conclusion: This study provides increased clarity regarding the various drivers of heatwave vulnerability in Australia. Such knowledge is crucial in informing extreme heat adaptation and mitigation planning.

Keywords: Adaptive capacity; Australia; Exposure; Heatwaves; PRISMA protocol; Sensitivity.

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Australia
Cities
Climate Change
Extreme Heat* / adverse effects
Hot Temperature
Humans