Effectively tackling heat waves at the local level in Amadora, Portugal

Key Learnings

• Political commitment: Amadora takes a collaborative, structured approach to improve heat risk management, supported by strong political and operational leadership. The mayor’s active backing ensures alignment across departments, keeps heat risks high on the agenda, and secures stakeholder buy-in for coordinated planning and action.
• Coordination and implementation: Civil Protection is the technical lead and main coordination point for implementing disaster risk reduction strategies, including those for climate change adaptation and urban heat. Multiple municipal departments contribute to a cohesive, multi-agency approach to managing heat risks across the city.
• Integration: Aligning urban planning with emergency and contingency strategies is key to embedding heat risk reduction into Amadora’s broader resilience and strategic framework. This coordinated approach supports long-term climate adaptation goals.

Summary

Amadora, a densely populated urban municipality in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, is increasingly vulnerable to extreme heat due to rising temperatures and the urban heat island effect. Over the past three decades, Amadora has experienced a significant increase in temperature, with projections indicating further rises by the end of the century. The city's strategies to combat these heat risks include the development of green spaces, early warning systems, and cross-sectoral collaboration between local government, academia, the private sector, and international bodies. Key lessons from Amadora’s experience highlight the importance of leveraging strong political leadership, establishing a dedicated focal point for heat risk management, and institutionalising heat risk within broader climate adaptation efforts.

Contact

luis [dot] carvalhocm-amadora [dot] pt (luis[dot]carvalho[at]cm-amadora[dot]pt)