The evaluation of heat vulnerability in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Heat waves are leading cause of weather-related illness and death, in a context where their frequency, intensity and impact are expected to surge due to rising climate change, growing urbanisation and population ageing. This work develops a Heat Vulnerability Index by means of the composite indicator methodology with the aim to depict heat vulnerability in Friuli Venezia Giulia at the census tract level. The results show that heat vulnerability follows a spatial pattern with highest hazard in urban areas, lower risk in rural areas and lowest danger in mountainous areas. The performance interval approach is exploited to validate the Index.