Work

Climate shelters in the Global South: bridging a critical research gap in urban climate adaptation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates how climate shelters are addressed in academic literature, particularly in Global South countries. The research questions whether studies exist on this topic in the Global South and how the concept is discussed globally. It hypothesizes that, while climate shelters are gaining attention due to increasing climate extremes, academic research from the Global South is still limited. The objective is to present a state of the art on climate shelter studies and examine their presence in Southern contexts. A systematic review following the PRISMA protocol was conducted across five databases, emphasizing sources in Portuguese and Spanish. From 59 texts screened, 26 were analyzed. Results show most studies are concentrated in Europe, with few relevant publications from the Global South. This reveals a research gap but also emerging practices in countries like Argentina and Chile. Scientifically, the study updates the literature; socially, it highlights the urgency of context-based adaptation strategies.

Source: Frontiers in Built Environment

DOI: 10.3389/fbuil.2025.1675897

Authors: Isabela Carmo Cavaco, Pedro Henrique Campello Torres

Institutions: Universidade de São Paulo, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)

Language: English

Topic: Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Reduced inequalities, Partnerships for the goals, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353