Taking refuge: Prioritising park climate adaptation strategies based on urban design and planning professionals' insights

This novel paper assesses the perceived effectiveness of strategies to improve thermal comfort in local parks under hot daytime conditions across the Hot semi-arid (BSh), Hot desert (BWh), and Mediterranean (Csa) Köppen climate regions in Western Australia. This assessment is conducted through a survey of urban design and planning professionals ( n = 87) from Local Government, State Government, and private practice, and, as such, delivers a case study of locally initiated and adapted planning for climate change. The survey results indicate a consistent preference for nature-based solutions to improve thermal comfort on hot days. This preference raises questions about water availability for irrigation, given reduced rainfall and diminished evapotranspiration-related cooling as humidity increases. Despite such challenges, the survey findings provide an evidence base for urban design and planning professionals and urban policymakers to reimagine existing local parks, in part, as climate refuges with improved thermal comfort in summer conditions.