Drivers of vulnerability to heat-related health impacts for migrants in european cities: A scoping review of the existing literature

This report presents a comprehensive scoping review of the drivers of heat‑related health vulnerability among migrants from the majority-world living in European cities. It synthesises academic literature published between 2005 and 2025 to identify how demographic factors, migration status, racism and intersectional discrimination, housing precarity, labour conditions, health histories, neighbourhood infrastructures, and urban planning shape differentiated exposure to extreme heat. DRR-relevant elements appear in discussions of Heat Action Plans, early‑warning systems, and urban planning for climate adaptation; Chapters 2.7 and 2.8, for example, examine how neighbourhood design and climate policy influence risk, while Chapter 3 outlines future directions for reducing vulnerability.

The publication highlights the need for structural, justice‑centred approaches to heat adaptation that move beyond individualised behavioural guidance. It recommends improving data disaggregation, strengthening participatory and community‑led research, addressing discriminatory housing and labour systems, and integrating social infrastructures into climate adaptation planning.