A VSD-based framework for assessing climate justice in urban outdoor cooling spaces: a case study of Fuzhou, China

Extreme heat events intensify health risks among vulnerable populations, raising concerns regarding climate justice. However, most existing assessments remain at the citywide scale and seldom examine inequities across different types of outdoor cooling spaces.

This study integrates the Exposure-Sensitivity-Adaptive Capacity (VSD) framework with the dimensions of distributive, recognition, and procedural justice to construct a climate justice assessment model. Outdoor cooling spaces were classified into linear and areal forms. Using Gulou District in Fuzhou as the case study, we developed a multi-source indicator system based on remote sensing imagery, street-view data, points of interest, and demographic statistics. The entropy weight method was used to determine indicator weights, and K-means clustering was applied to identify climate injustice space types.

The findings show that 37.18% of linear cooling spaces and 44.45% of areal cooling spaces face significant climate injustice risks. High-risk areas are concentrated in dense built-up zones, aging neighborhoods, and peripheral areas with limited public services. Cluster analysis identified three distinct deficit categories: distributional justice deficit, recognitional justice deficit, and systemic justice deficit, reflecting overlapping vulnerabilities and uneven adaptive capacities.

These results highlight the need for differentiated interventions to reduce spatial inequities. Key actions include enhancing shading along traffic corridors, improving service accessibility in aging neighborhoods, and strengthening adaptive resources in systemic deficit areas. The proposed framework offers an evidence base for equity-oriented urban governance and supports resilient urban planning and public health strategies under extreme heat.