Urban Climate and the Homeless Population: Exposure, Impacts, and Strategies

Abstract

Background: This article approaches how the urban climate has become a risk factor for the homeless population. Methods: The empirical investigation draws on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, considering the impacts of cold, heat, and rainfall events on these individuals. Precipitation and surface temperature analyses were performed to identify the urban climate processes to which the homeless are exposed. Results: Results indicate that these individuals tend to prioritize commercial areas for settling down, overlooking their susceptibility to extreme weather events. Conclusion: Downtown Rio de Janeiro concentrates the highest temperature and precipitation thresholds, increasing homeless exposure to urban climate effects as the group is also concentrated in the area. Their exposure intensifies morbidities and comorbidities and will likely be aggravated by increased extreme events due to climate change.