Research database

Climate change is profoundly impacting cities and their inhabitants, leading to increased infrastructure failure, food and resource shortages and death. Research has shown that vulnerable households are not only the most exposed to these effects, but also experience displacement when cities implement green, climate-adaptive interventions that change housing markets and their affordability. In Europe, the carbon neutrality goals set by the European Green Deal will trigger unprecedented transformations that might exacerbate these vulnerabilities. In a context where new climate-adapted housing is reaching largely middle- and high-income groups, more research is needed to understand how housing access can be ensured for all residents in green, climate adapted cities. CLIMATEJUSTHOME fills this gap through an innovative mixed methods approach that builds from an ethnographically-informed understanding of vulnerable households’ lived experiences and the unique insights they offer to advance just urban climate adaptation, housing planning and policy-making. Using a case study strategy focusing on Spain’s greenest city Vitoria-Gasteiz, I will deploy policy analysis, spatial analysis, ethnography and ethno-spatial mapping workshops to generate data housing and climate (in)justices towards building new theory and knowledge on climate just housing. With the support of my supervisor (Prof Lancione) at Politecnico di Torino, the Fellowship will train me in ethnography, intersectional analysis and ethno-spatial mapping and act as a pilot for my own ERC Starting Grant on climate just housing. Ultimately, the project seeks to expand knowledge about how cities embracing climate change adaptation strategies can develop just housing and urban interventions towards carbon neutrality.