Urban heat mitigation and adaptation: the state of the art

The state of the art in urban heat mitigation and adaptation is analyzed along four elements: (1) technologies, techniques, and benefits of combinatorial approaches; (2) risks and vulnerabilities assessment to incorporate the human dimension; (3) types of monitoring approaches; and (4) urban heat modeling and mitigation/adaptation scenario-making for evidence-based actions, policies, and coping strategies. Knowledge and recent advancements related to urban green infrastructure and urban materials are analyzed in detail. Lastly, we focus on how cities are advancing in heat mitigation and adaptation within the frameworks of two major initiatives devoted to cities and climate action: the Global Covenant of Mayors and the 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. Key take-home messages are enucleated that link the technological and human domains both from the science and the policy-making perspectives.