The overall scope of the project SynUHI is to support the capacity of the cities in Romania to adapt to heat hazards associated with climate change challenges, through an interdisciplinary approach envisaging both the actual reaction of the cities and the long-term preparedness and plans. Four specific objectives (SOs) address the overall scope:

SO1: Integrated assessment of the UHI - is a quantitative approach of the UHI for the 41 study cities using multiple data sources and methods, i.e. in situ sensors, climate reanalysis, satellite remote sensing, UASs, crowdsourcing, and urban modelling, which is original and innovative in the UHI study. The project SynUHI will perform the first complete investigation of the driving factors influencing the characteristics of the UHI in all the cities of relevant size in Romania.

SO2: Exploring the synergies between UHI and HWs - addresses the bidirectional and dynamic relationships UHI-HWs, investigating (1) the influence of the HWs on the UHI’s shape, spatial extent, temporal variations and intensity, and (2) the effect of the UHI on the intensity and persistence of the HWs within the city limits. This project aims a country-scale approach, generating novel findings about the dependencies between UHI and HWs in different regional climates.

SO3: Climate change and urbanization impact on the synergies between the UHI and HWs. This objective aims at estimating the heat-related risks facing urban residents today and in the next decades, considering that HWs will very likely become more frequent and urban population is increasing. Two climate change scenarios will be considered at urban scale for the time horizon 2031-2060, assuming a moderate and a fast urbanization situation.

SO4: Developing an Urban Adaptation Support Toolbox (UAST) for the Romanian cities - aims at combining existing urban adaptation tools with measures and instruments tailored at city scale, in order to support the management of the heat-related risks both in the present climate and within the climate change context.