Just adaptation to urban heat: The spatial distribution, the representation and the recognition of the needs of vulnerable groups in nature-based solution policies

Increasing weather extremes, particularly urban heat, have made nature-based solutions (NBS) a central component of urban climate adaptation. At the same time, growing evidence suggests that NBS may reproduce existing social inequalities if environmental justice is not explicitly addressed. Drawing on Nancy Fraser’s multidimensional conception of justice, this paper examines the distributional, recognitional, and representative dimensions of justice in NBS planning. Using a mixed-methods case study of Vienna, including spatial analysis, policy document analysis, interviews, focus groups, and participatory workshops, we assess the spatial distribution of heat exposure, nature-based solutions, and vulnerable groups, alongside the recognition of vulnerable groups and their needs in adaptation policies and their representation in planning processes. The findings show that socio-spatial inequalities in access to NBS and exposure to urban heat persist, although they appear comparatively moderate. More pronounced challenges emerge in the recognitional and representative dimensions. While vulnerable groups are broadly acknowledged in policy, vulnerability is primarily understood through broad socio-demographic categories and rarely translated into differentiated planning priorities. Participation largely relies on intermediary organisations, limiting the direct representation of affected groups and reinforcing standardised understandings of vulnerability. The study demonstrates that the distributional, recognitional, and representative dimensions of justice are closely interconnected, highlighting the need to complement NBS provision with more vulnerability-sensitive planning and participatory governance.