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Authors: Ferenc Ács, Erzsébet Kristóf, Annamária Zsákai

Abstract: We analyzed the human thermal load of summer weather in the Cfb climate based on the results of a new model based on the human body energy balance equation and the skin surface evaporation gradient formula. The active surface of the model is the skin surface, the person is lying in a resting position, its skin type is Fitzpatrick skin type IV. For that purpose, longitudinal research method was performed in 2022 in Martonvásár, Hungary (East-Central Europe), comprising 331 observations in which weather conditions and thermal sensation types were recorded simultaneously. The main observation is that in warm climates and/or weather situations, the amount of thermal load can be very simply characterized by
latent heat flux density values of the skin evaporation. From a human point of view, the most important characteristics of summer weather in the Cfb climate are as follows: 1) The latent heat flux density of skin surface evaporation varied between 10 and 300-350 Wm-2, while the operative temperature ranged between 25 °C and 80 °C. 2) The relationship between skin surface evaporative resistance and operative temperature can be characterized by an exponential function. In cases of thermal sensation type „neutral”, skin surface evaporative resistance values are mostly above 0.5 hPa·m2·W-1. Observations made by people with different skin types are essential to generalize the results.

Keywords: Cfb climate; summer weather; human thermal load; r e quired skin evaporation; evaporative resistance of skin

doi: 10.5937/gp29-59933

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Received: July 3, 2025| Revised: December 3, 2025| Accepted: December 16, 2025

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Authors: Nedjoua Cemali, Sihem Ramoul

Abstract: Extreme weather events-particularly episodes of intense rainfall-are increasingly disrupting hydrological regimes and triggering frequent, destructive floods, especially in urban environments. These floods have severe repercussions on populations, infrastructure, and economic activities. While large river basins are typically monitored and extensively studied, small ungauged urban catchments remain poorly documented despite their critical role in generating localized hydrological hazards. This study focuses on a small ungauged watershed located in AïnM’lila (northeastern Algeria),which experiences recurrent flash floods that frequently lead to urban inundation. In the absence of hydrological instrumentation, the objective is to generate insight into the watershed’s hydrological functioning and the associated geomorphological impacts using alternative, integrative methods. The approach combines morphometric analysis, a morphodynamic reading of surface flow dynamics, and targeted field observations of flood traces and erosion patterns. This methodological framework offers amore precise characterization of the watershed’s specific features, enhances understanding of its behavior during extreme rainfall events, and provides a transferable basis for flood risk assessment in other similarly data-scarce urban contexts. This study contributes in three concrete ways: (1) by demonstrating a reproducible workflow that integrates 30 m DEM-based morphometry with field-scale morphodynamic observations for ungauged urban micro-watersheds; (2) by providing quantified morphometric metrics linked to hydrological response indicators (e.g., drainage density, time of concentration) and interpreting their physical meaning for flash-flood generation; and (3) by combining spatial evidence with participatory survey data to inform practical recommendations for low-cost monitoring and urban planning interventions.

Keywords: Floods; Small ungauged watersheds; Morphometric analysis; Morphodynamic interpretation; Flood risk; Urban environments; Aïn M’lila

DOI: 10.5937/gp29-60528

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Received: July 30, 2025| Revised: December 15, 2025| Accepted: December 16, 2025

 

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Authors: Elona Pojani, Xhoana Hudhra, Dorina Pojani, Henrik Hassel

Abstract: This study examines disaster risk perception and communication in Albania, focusing on two districts in the cities of Tirana and Fier and the villages of Novosela and Dajç, all affected by severe flooding in recent years. The research highlights how dimensions of national culture – particularly fatalism and attachment to home and hearth – interact with contextual, psychological, and demographic characteristics to shape flood risk perceptions. Quantitative analysis using surveys (N=104) and ORL regression models shows that disaster risk tolerance is influenced by location, household income, and prior exposure to natural disasters. Urban residents are less tolerant of risk, while higher-income individuals and those with previous disaster experience show greater tolerance. Qualitative interviews reveal that city dwellers often perceive floods as inevitable, while rural participants emphasize communal coping and local knowledge.

Keywords: disaster risk perception; disaster risk communication; floods; Albania; rural areas; urban areas

DOI: 10.5937/gp29-60075

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Received: July 10, 2025| Revised: December 18, 2025| Accepted: December 23, 2025

 

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Authors: Shivanjali Mohite

Abstract: The development of urban heat issues poses significant challenges for pedestrians in tropical cities, necessitating climate-responsive street design. This study employs a scenario-based simulation approach to determine optimal combinations of street geometry and shading strategies that enhance Pedestrian Thermal Comfort (PTC). Using ENVI-met, this study simulated 90 scenarios by combining geometric variables, such as aspect ratio (AR), building typology (BT), and street orientation, with five shading strategies in Nagpur City, India. The modified Physiological Equivalent Temperature (mPET) index was calculated for each scenario using a pre-trained machine learning model. Results quantified that canopy shading was the most effective strategy, reducing mPET by up to 7°C in E-W streets. The effective street geometric combination was a N-S oriented street with a deep AR and linear BT, which consistently achieved the lowest mPET values (33.1–35.8°C). The study concludes with a rating matrix that guides the integration of shading design with street geometry to achieve thermally resilient streets.

Keywords: Pedestrian Thermal Comfort; Urban Street Geometry; ENVI-met;Machine Learning; Microclimate

DOI: 10.5937/gp29-62910

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Received November 20, 2025| Revised: January 10, 2026| Accepted: January 13, 2026

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Authors: Dragan Milošević

Abstract: Western Balkan cities currently stand at a critical inflection point, characterized by the convergence of intensifying climate and hydrometeorological hazards, acute environmental pollution, and profound demographic imbalances. This article argues that the region’s persistent implementation gap—frequently described as being „full of plans but short of traction”—is not primarily a technological deficiency but a structural crisis of knowledge integration and governance. By analyzing the compounding nature of risks, where environmental stressors cascade across interdependent infrastructure systems, the study demonstrates that traditional, siloed policy responses are insufficient. Instead, it posits that achieving urban resilience requires a fundamental shift from technocratic management to inter-, multi-, and transdisciplinary frameworks. Four practical pathways are proposed to operationalize this shift: (1) embedding environmental and social risk assessment into the core of sustainable urban development; (2) integrating service delivery to simultaneously support livelihoods and sustainability; (3) establishing ‘frugal’ urban observatories that bridge official monitoring gaps with citizen science, providing a resource-efficient counterpart to expensive ‘smart city’ architectures; and (4) institutionalizing co-production to ground policy in local realities. Ultimately, the paper suggests that by treating integration as a delivery mechanism rather than an academic ideal,Western Balkan cities can transform into “integration laboratories,” demonstrating how to govern sustainability transitions effectively under strict fiscal and administrative constraints.

Keywords: Sustainable Urban Development; Urban Climate Resilience; Transdisciplinary Governance; Nature-based Solutions (NBS);Western Balkans

DOI: 10.5937/gp29-64068

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Received: November 27, 2025| Revised: January 13, 2026| Accepted: January 14, 2026