Panel discussion: From air pollution to urban heat islands – using data to identify and correct climate inequities in communities

Acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalised communities, and the effect that digital technologies can have in addressing these types of challenges in other areas of urban life, this session is dedicated to how cities can harness data to pinpoint climate inequities and create tailored strategies for equitable climate resilience. This includes:

Data-driven mapping of climate inequity – how data-driven mapping can reveal urban heat islands and pollution hotspots in urban environments. The panel will explore how this information can help prioritise interventions to mitigate the harmful effects of air pollution on the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities, who often reside in these areas. This also includes discussion of the equitable collection of data required to ensure that data itself is representative and unbiases, and its role in cities being able to map social vulnerability, such as income levels, access to green space and access to public services in order to enact interventions.

Open data initiatives – discussion of how open data initiatives can promote data accessibility, transparency, and collaboration. The panel will explore how making climate data readily available to the public, researchers, and community groups can lead to innovative solutions and foster a more inclusive approach to climate resilience.