När temperaturen stiger - Hur hanterar Malmö stad ett varmare klimat?

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how extreme heat is understood and managed within the urban planning context of Malmö, Sweden. As climate change intensifies, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe, while urban heat island effects further increase temperatures in densely built environments. Despite growing health risks associated with extreme heat, the issue remains relatively underexplored in Sweden, where urban planning has historically focused on cold climates and other climate-related hazards. The aim of the study is to investigate how Malmö addresses increasing temperatures as a climate-related risk in future planning strategies, and how heat management relates to issues of social justice. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study combines document analysis with semi-structured interviews to examine how heat is framed as a risk, how heat adaptation is integrated into climate adaptation work, and what challenges are identified in practice. The findings show that green infrastructure plays a central role in local adaptation strategies through shading, vegetation, and blue-green structures. However, implementation is constrained by dense urban structures, underground infrastructure, and fragmented governance processes. Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of adapting planning strategies to the local context, as the most suitable solutions may vary. The study also demonstrates that heat exposure is unevenly distributed across the city, with socioeconomically vulnerable areas often experiencing higher temperatures and lower access to cooling environments. Overall, the analysis highlights that urban heat adaptation is not only a technical planning issue, but also a question of governance and environmental justice.