Trigger Points: Opportunities for municipalities to implement risk reduction and preparedness interventions based on the policy lever, building on the United Nations Environment Programme triggers used in the Beating the Heat handbook (2021).

Preparatory measures (actions to establish authority to act): Actions to establish/ ensure the authority to act when appropriate trigger-points occur.

No-regrets actions (low cost/low effort but substantial benefit): Interventions that are relatively low-cost and low effort (in terms of requisite dependencies) but have substantial environmental and/or social benefits.

Planned new development: Includes Greenfield or brownfield development or new construction

Substantial rehabilitation: Includes the re-development or major renovation projects

City planning processes: Includes city initiatives such as the development of climate action plan, pathway to zero-energy, master plan, transit plan, energy mapping etc.

Evaluating or initiating major city infrastructure projects: Includes projects such as city transit, street or utilities construction / re-construction etc.

Evaluating city land acquisition/sale: Includes efforts and to set aside land suitable for urban cooling efforts like blue or green infrastructure or district cooling.

Introducing new or updated zoning/codes: Includes codes, zoning requirements or by-laws pertaining to urban planning and building construction activity.

Policy Levers: The mechanism municipalities can use to actualize the intervention. These policy levers will likely be used in combination with each other.

Mandate: Mandates are government regulations that require stakeholders to meet standards through building codes, ordinances, zoning policies, or other regulatory tools.

Lead by Example: Governments have ownership and jurisdiction over a range of assets (e.g. buildings and streets) and also serve as a direct employer, and contractor. This allows them to promote heat risk reduction and preparedness solutions and demonstrate their impact through leading by example with proactive interventions to make their assets, employment opportunities, and contracts heat-resilient.

Funding & Financing: The allocation of public or philanthropic funding or private financing to implement projects, including risk transfer mechanisms.

Incentive: Financial and non-financial incentives to encourage stakeholders to implement heat risk reduction and preparedness solutions, including rebates, tax credits, expedited permitting, development/zoning bonuses, and more.

Awareness & Engagement: Governments may design and operate programs with the goal of increasing awareness and engagement among constituents or stakeholder groups about the risks and opportunities of extreme heat.

Commitment: Governments set ambitious goals or targets to guide prioritization and investment.

Workforce Development: Programs and investments that grow a workforce and
support skill growth, training, and education.