Heat stress is projected to increase under future climate change scenarios. These climate risks pose a significant risk to human health, economic stability and environmental sustainability. In the Netherlands, heat stress is particularly relevant in the province of Zeeland, where the novel topic of heat stress due to rising temperatures is combined with a high vulnerability, intensifying the impacts. Understanding the impact of heat stress requires a detailed analysis to delineate the relationship between causes and drivers, the impacts of heat stress and the relation to the local exposure, sensitivity and adaptation capacity.

In Zeeland, the primary drivers of heat stress include increased temperatures on a local scale, elevated humidity levels and reduced wind speeds. A changing climate will lead to higher average temperatures and more frequent heatwaves. Combined with increased humidity and reduced windspeeds, this amplifies the physiological heat stress (i.e. the experiences temperature) on its inhabitants.

How heat stress impacts a region varies based on local conditions. In the province of Zeeland, heat stress has a multifaceted impact: reaching health and economic aspects. The impact of heat stress on the overall public health is both direct and indirect. Direct health impacts consist of increased cases of heat-related illnesses such as exhaustion and heat strokes. Another direct impact is the higher mortality rates among vulnerable populations during heatwaves and surges in local hospital admissions. The indirect health impact focuses on the strained health services due to longer response times, challenges in temperature-sensitivity medicine storage, and more frequent emergency calls. Heat stress also increases the risks of smaller accidents; often among outdoor workers or inhabitants practising physical activities such as sports. Increased heatwaves and heat stress also increase the transmission rates of pathogens and diseases, impacting public health.

Local variables such as the vulnerability of a location also cause the impacts to be more extreme. The urban heat island effect, where urban areas retain more heat due to less vegetation and more concrete and asphalt, further drives the heat stress risk for the population but also local factors, such as poor air quality, can compound the adverse health effects of heat stress, especially for vulnerable populations.

Besides the health impacts, heat stress has a negative impact on various local economic trends. Prolonged periods of heat stress lead to higher energy costs; as demand for air conditioning and cooling of powerplants increases. It also reduces the productivity of workers in both outdoor and indoor working environments. Areas not suitable for mitigating the impacts of heat stress also see the region’s attractiveness for tourists diminish during heat periods. This (can) negatively affect(s) the local tourism sector.

The impacts of increasing temperatures and heat stress are strengthened by local factors. The province of Zeeland is particularly vulnerable to heat stress. The region has a high proportion of vulnerable residents, specifically the elderly, who are more susceptible to heat stress and its health impacts, compared to the average population. Additionally, no real adaptation capacity is present which further compounds the vulnerability of Zeeland. Poor urban planning in the protected old monumental city centres increases the urban heat island effect. In the Netherlands, heat stress is a novel topic, resulting in limited public awareness and education on mitigating strategies. The lack of formal education and training on managing and mitigating heat stress risks leaves residents unprepared to handle these challenges. Consequently, the local community is not able to adapt effectively.

Local and climate drivers of heat stress will continuously increase the risk for Zeeland. The health, economic, and environmental impacts of heat stress are significant. This is particularly the case for the vulnerable population. The solution starts by enhancing the adaptive capacity through improved urban planning, increased public awareness, and better education on heat stress mitigation.