Monitoring the impact of climate change on health
This capstone project addresses a practical gap in how Dutch municipalities approach heat adaptation: the data exists, but it is scattered across institutions, complex to interpret, and rarely translated into tools that policymakers can actually use. Drawing on secondary data from KNMI, RIVM, and CBS, the team mapped patterns of heat vulnerability at the neighbourhood level, combining climate, health, environmental, and sociodemographic indicators to identify where heat-related health risks are most acute. Stakeholder interviews with municipal policymakers revealed that the challenge is not a lack of data but a lack of tools that make that data legible, actionable, and aligned with the practical realities of local decision-making.
In response, the team developed a prototype map tool that integrates multi-source data into a clear, accessible interface designed specifically for municipal heat adaptation and public health planning. The tool allows policymakers to identify which neighbourhoods face the greatest combined exposure to heat risk and social vulnerability, and to prioritise adaptation efforts accordingly. By grounding the design in both data analysis and direct input from stakeholders, the project also surfaces a broader recommendation: that the ministry should expand the data it collects at the neighbourhood level to make tools like this practically applicable at scale. The result is both a working prototype and a policy argument for better, more coordinated climate data infrastructure in the Netherlands.