Perception of risk associated with tropical days in urban environments and implications for public health: A case study of Bucharest, Romania

In most mid- and high-latitude regions, a decrease in the frequency of very low temperatures and an increase in the frequency of high temperatures have been observed as a consequence of ongoing global warming. Tropical days, defined as days with a maximum air temperature of at least 30°C, represent a key climatic indicator for assessing the impact of heat excess on the urban environment. The increasing frequency of these days in recent decades, amplified by the urban heat island effect, accentuates the thermal discomfort and the vulnerability of urban population.

The perception of risk associated with the increasing frequency of tropical days is influenced by the mode of institutional communication and by the availability of clear and credible early warning systems. The aim of this study is to quantify the level of information and awareness among the population of the Bucharest metropolitan area, the capital of Romania, regarding how the human body perceives and reacts to high air temperatures. Cities of Bucharest’s size can modify the air temperature, increasing it by approximately 5–6°C above the temperature of the surrounding area. The analysis was based on a questionnaire containing semi-open questions with multiple response options, applied individually and directly, to a sample of 267 participants. 44% of respondents reported feeling vulnerable to daily air temperature equal to or exceeding 30°C, 40% answered sometimes, in certain situations, and the rest that they are not vulnerable to such air temperature. Respondents associate, in decreasing order of the number of answers, excess heat with dehydration, fatigue and insomnia, irritability, respiratory problems, and muscle cramps and aches. As measures to improve living conditions during periods with tropical days, participants consider the need for more urban green spaces, greater environmental responsibility at both individual and collective levels (through systematic ecological and climate education), and the establishment of additional hydration and first aid points.

Integrating public perception into urban planning and public health policies is essential for reducing the risk associated with tropical days in cities and adapting to climate change, because thermal stress is not an isolated phenomenon but one that disproportionately affects the elderly, children, individuals with chronic illnesses, and low-income communities.