CLIMACARE

CLIMACARE is an Innovation Action delivering large-scale demonstration, deployment, and replication of heat resilience solutions, placing local authorities and vulnerable residents at the centre. In five demonstration cities (Athens, Pecs, Sultanbeyli-Istanbul, Sevilla, and Alba Iulia), systemic measures will be co-design and implemented, including redesigning public spaces with nature-based solutions and passive cooling in buildings, while safeguarding against maladaptation risks. Through an inclusive multi-level governance framework, municipalities will initiate localization of National Heat-Health Action Plans, develop emergency SOPs, and deploy a Digital Heat Preparedness Suite, that defines roles and coordinates actions with regional authorities, civil protection, health, transport, utilities, and civil society organisations. CLIMACARE pioneers innovative financing mechanisms integrating tested interventions into municipal budgets. Its controlled trial design generates robust evidence on health, behavioural, and equity (justice) impacts, and provides scientific validation often missing in local adaptation measures. Multi-Actor Heat Resilience Task Forces co-design and co-govern demonstrations, ready-to-go actions, and financing instruments while embedding evaluation results into municipal practice. Three replication cities (Oppeano, Southampton, and Lower Hutt-Wellington) will adopt proven solutions, ensuring transferability across governance and socio-economic contexts. By combining demonstrations, ready-to-go actions, evaluation, and replication, and grounding itself in the Capability Approach, Social Determinants of Health, and multi-level governance, CLIMACARE advances Technology Readiness Level from piloting to deployment, contributing to the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and fostering climate-resilient, socially just, and health-protective urban futures.