Responses of migrant communities to extreme heat in South Australia: a case study in the city of Port Adelaide Enfield
Files
(Published version)
Date
2014
Authors
Alam, T,
Younus, M,
Editors
Lo, Alex,
Pearson, Leonie,
Evans, M,
Pearson, Leonie,
Evans, M,
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Conference paper
Citation
Opportunities for the Critical Decade: Enhancing well-being within Planetary Boundaries. Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics 2013 Conference Proceedings, 2014 / Lo, Alex, , Pearson, Leonie, , Evans, M, (ed./s), pp.40-62
Statement of Responsibility
Tahabub Alam and Md Younus
Conference Name
Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics 2013 Conference (11 Nov 2013 - 14 Nov 2013 : Australian National Universituy)
Abstract
Extreme heat is already a threat to South Australians – especially to culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants who are overseas born and brought up. The
IPCC and other Australian and international research evidences have predicted
more frequent hot extremes in Southern Australia that could pose a serious health
risk for the disadvantaged minority communities because of demographic, economic
and socio-cultural factors. In this context, some CALD migrants (e.g. Bangladeshi,
Bhutanese and Sudanese) are thought to be vulnerable to heat due to their previous
demographic, social and cultural orientations. To reduce vulnerability and increase
adaptive response capacity, it is important to study behaviours and responses of the
CALD communities to heatwave. This paper focuses on their efforts to adapt to
hostile climate. The key aim of the study is to appreciate response enablers and
barriers of CALD migrants to extreme heat.
A preliminary qualitative study was conducted with CALD migrants in the City of Port
Adelaide Enfield area involving one focus group discussion and two interviews
including seven participants from three different communities. Using thematic
analysis, the key barriers of CALD communities to heatwave are identified as lack of
English proficiency, acclimatisation, power costs, poor quality housing, and lack of
heat-friendly housing whereas the enablers are marked as their individual adaptive
capacity and strong community networks. These early findings suggest introducing
heatwave financial support and adopting heat-friendly culturally appropriate
sustainable housing projects for the low-income members would assist in adaptation to heatwaves. It would be beneficial to continue this preliminary case study with additional interviewees to develop a multilingual heat-health warning system, and design a heatwave awareness programme.